21st Jun

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

French police storm bank, overpower hostage-taker

Roddick renews grass court confidence in Eastbourne

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Court nullifies 2012 polls, reinstates previous house Opposition resigns en masse as govt mulls next moves

Max 46º Min 31º High Tide 01:51 & 11:58 Low Tide 05:57 & 19:16

conspiracy theories

Who is the coup against?

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

A

n unprecedented verdict by the constitutional court yesterday annulled the Feb 2012 elections and reinstated the previous parliament. The ruling was followed by resignations of current and former MPs from the opposition who were a majority in the now-annulled National Assembly. One of these MPs even called the verdict by the judiciary a “coup” against the constitution.

Now what? Who is to blame for the country’s current political landscape and overall state of affairs? I think everyone shares some blame. Until now the government was playing softly with parliament but finally lost its patience and decided to take action.

I blame the government for the entire chaos we are facing in Kuwait. The government should have acted strongly against the so-called opposition group because when somebody breaks the rules and is later on pardoned, this encourages lawlessness in the country. Everyone remembers how MPs broke into parliament and the whole fiasco passed very quietly without even any questioning. The other big fault of the government in this whole situation is when they encouraged tribalism following the burning of MP Mohammad Juwaihel’s election campaign tent by tribesmen. Then the chain broke and every tribe started strutting and boasting. As if we are living in a country without rules, regulation or a constitution.

We all remember the attacks on Al-Watan TV and Scope TV. For those I blame the government for not coming on the spot and giving a statement against actions based on tribalism. At that time some ruling family members even made statements praising certain tribes. Maybe they meant good but at the time they gave a green light to tribalism. After all, most of us in Kuwait belong to tribes. Now we are a country of institutions and we should all fit in.

Don’t misunderstand me. Be happy, but this is not the way to do things in Kuwait.

Follow me on Twitter: @badryaD

KUWAIT: (Clockwise from above) An opposition supporter (right) argues with a pro-government supporter under the watchful eyes of security forces at a rally called by youth activists opposite the National Assembly yesterday; Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun (right) leaves the Assembly accompanied by MP Musallam Al-Barrak earlier yesterday; Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah speaks to reporters during a press conference at the information ministry yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and AP

By B Izzak, A Saleh and Agencies KUWAIT: In an unprecedented verdict that sent shockwaves across the country, the constitutional court yesterday annulled the February general elections and reinstated the previous National Assembly that was dissolved in December last year. Opposition MPs vented anger against the ruling and those who were MPs in the previous Assembly immediately submitted their resignation while others threatened to mobilise the people back to the streets to protest the decision. At least 24 MPs in the previous Assembly elected in 2009 submitted their resignation, saying they will not “be honoured to be members in an Assembly where some of its members are accused of corruption”.

The government held an emergency session and reviewed the necessary procedures that should be taken to implement the court ruling and decided to continue the meeting today to take the decision, Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah told a press conference. The court ruling came after several Kuwaiti citizens challenged the Amiri decree that dissolved the previous National Assembly in December last year, saying the decree was sent to HH the Amir by an “illegal government” and accordingly should be nullified.

The court declared that the elections held on Feb 2, 2012 are nullified because the Amiri decree dissolving the previous Assembly and a second decree inviting Kuwaitis to elect the new Assembly were unconstitutional. The ruling as a result scrapped the outcome of the elections including the membership of MPs who were elected in the Feb 2 polls. The verdict also said that the previous assembly must regain its constitutional powers “as if the dissolution had not taken place”. The court said that the two decrees were unconstitutional because they were recommended by an illegal Cabinet, which means that the procedures were flawed, thus requiring to nullify the outcome.

Former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was forced to resign late November last year following youthled street protests after two alleged corruption scandals were exposed. The Amir accepted the resignation on Nov 28 and asked Cabinet ministers to continue in their posts until a new Cabinet is formed. A few days later, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was appointed new prime minister and he took the oath before the Amir.

Sheikh Jaber continued to lead the old Cabinet, raising question marks about whether the Cabinet was legal or not.

Continued on Page 13

Boubyan backs $2bn NBK offer DUBAI: National Bank of Kuwait moved a step closer to a takeover of Kuwait’s Boubyan Bank yesterday, but a disputed stake held by another bank remains an obstacle to the $2.1 million deal. The Boubyan Bank board gave its backing to its main shareholder, describing NBK’s offer for the 52.7 percent stake it does not already own as “fair and suitable”.

However, NBK must still resolve the issue of a 19.2 percent stake held by Commercial Bank of Kuwait. Investment Dar, a struggling Kuwaiti firm that is undergoing restructuring, sold the stake to CBK in 2008, with the right to buy it back. In 2009, CBK said Dar had lost that right and tried to sell on the open market, a move blocked

by a Dar-requested court order.

“For NBK, it’s a matter of getting the CBK stake sorted out and gaining regulatory approval,” a banking source said yesterday.

“They have the support of Boubyan, so its a done deal if these two things are taken care of.” NBK, Kuwait’s largest lender, last week offered to pay 630 fils per share for the 52.7 percent of Boubyan it does not own as it tries to boost its presence in Islamic banking in the Gulf region. If the tie-up is completed, the combined entity would hold assets worth about $57 billion. Boubyan has hired consulting firm Protiviti to advise on the transaction, it said in a bourse statement yesterday. — Reuters

Islamists gain from cultural chasm in UAE

CAIRO: An Egyptian woman chants religious slogans as she holds posters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak outside the Maadi military hospital yesterday where Mubarak was on life support. — AP

Egypt junta delays results of elections CAIRO: Egypt’s election commission delayed the announcement of presidential results scheduled for today, as tension spiked over who will succeed ailing ousted president Hosni Mubarak after moves by the ruling military to extend powers. “Egypt’s election commission, headed by Judge Faruq Sultan... has decided to delay the announcement of the presidential election run-off,” the official MENA news agency said late yesterday, without giving a new date. The run-

off, which took place on June 16 and 17 pitted Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi against Mubarak’s last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, with both candidates claiming victory.

The election commission said it was looking into appeals from lawyers of both candidates into alleged campaign violations and disputed vote counting.

The commission said it would “continue Continued on Page 13

DUBAI: The show had everything Madonna’s fans could have wished for: erotic dancing, provocative outfits, a giant cross, bare-chested monks and a Hebrew prayer. But for many Muslim Emiratis, the Queen of Pop’s first performance in the Gulf region earlier this month was just too much. “After Madonna, what next? The UAE’s reputation has been sullied, the people’s feelings were ignored and the call to respect our values were taken lightly,” wrote Twitter user Rashed Alshamsi, one comment in a rare public outpouring of criticism against the authorities for allowing the performance.

The campaign reflected growing anxiety among both conservative and liberal Emiratis that their local traditions and Islamic values are at risk as the Arab state rapidly expands, thanks largely to expatriate labour. Less than 10 percent of the country’s estimated eight million people are Emirati. “There is a large degree of apprehension among Emiratis that we are a minority, that Arabic is not the main spoken language, and that there is a rise in foreigners and problems like alcohol and prostitution,” said Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, a UAE-based political commentator.

The protests that have swept four Arab heads of state from office and strengthened the Islamist movement throughout the Middle East have not been seen in the UAE, thanks in part to its cradle-tograve welfare system. But the authorities remain concerned that the rise of Islamists to power Continued on Page 13

JEDDAH: US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta meets Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz during a condolence call at the Royal Court yesterday. — AP

US security chiefs visit Saudi after royal death JEDDAH: US security chiefs visited Saudi Arabia yesterday to convey President Barack Obama’s condolences for the death of Crown Prince Nayef, underscoring the importance of a relationship seen as key in the battle against Al-Qaeda. The delegation was led by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and included Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, Counter-terrorism John Brennan and former Central Intelligence Agency director George

Tenet. Mike Morrell, the CIA’s deputy director, also joined the delegation which met Prince Salman, the new crown prince.

“The president wanted me ... to convey to you not only our sorrow for your loss but also our best wishes to you in your new position,” Panetta told Prince Salman at the Royal Court in Jeddah, where delegations from around the world were visiting. Nayef, who was interior minister for 37 years, built up a Continued on Page 13

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti opposition MPs Jamaan Al-Harbash (left) and Msallam AlBarrak leave the National Assembly yesterday as Kuwait’s constitutional court declared February’s legislative polls in which the opposition swept to victory illegal.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Islamist opposition MPs Bader Al-Azmi and Mohammed AlMutairi stand at the National Assembly after the constitutional court verdict yesterday.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Islamist opposition MPs Waleed AlTabtabai (left) and Abdullah Al-Bargash leave the National Assembly in Kuwait City yesterday after the constitutional court verdict. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Cabinet discusses court ruling on parliament Evaluation to continue

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Jaber AlSabah received at Bayan Palace, yesterday, Head of the investigatory committee of K-Dow controversial deal Dr. Adnan Ahmad Shihabuldien. His Highness the Prime Minister also received Oil Minister Hani Abdulaziz Hussain, Vice Chairman of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and Chief Executive Farooq Hussain alZanki, Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Sami Fahad Al-Rashid, Managing Director KOC’s Exploration and Development of oil fields Hashim Ahmad Hashim.

Kuwait fattest in Arab world CAIRO: Kuwait was reported to be the heaviest country in the Middle East, and second globally behind the United States. The new report from online in journal BMC Public Health said Kuwait was the most obese Arab country.

Qatar came in fourth on the list, followed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 10th position, showing that the Arab world was gaining, in weight.

The data published on Sunday, reported scientists have calculated it to be 3.9 million tons, or 3.5 million metric tons.

According to researchers, all that extra bulk adds up, and could have “the same

implications for world food energy demands as an extra half a billion people living on the earth.”

To reach their national estimates, researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used World Health Organization data from 2005. According to the BBC, the scientists worked out that the average global body weight was 137 lbs, but there were large regional differences.

Asian countries were the lightest in the world, and experts said this was due to their better diets.

In Egypt, for example, meat is on the menu too often, nutritionists argue.

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Cabinet discussed yesterday the “implications” of a constitutional court ruling, to annul the latest parliamentary elections and to reinstate the former dissolved 2009 parliament instead.

“The cabinet has reviewed steps and procedures needed to be taken in the execution of the mentioned ruling, in relation to its implications on the annulment of the election process and the invalidity of its announced winners, along with reinstating of the constitutional authority of the dissolved National Assembly by the power of the constitution,” Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said in a press statement.

The remarks were made after an urgent Cabinet session held to discuss the matter at Bayan Palace.

The court’s decision was taken in regards to a “procedural oversight” in the December Amiri decree to dissolve the former parliament, the Cabinet statement added.

The Cabinet intends to continue evaluating the matter in an early Thursday session, during which it will take into account the assessment of both the Ministry of Justice and the state’s Fatwa and Legislation Department.

The ruling by Kuwait’s Constitutional Court to annul the recent parliamentary elections and reinstate the former dissolved parliament is the first of its kind since the court’s inception in 1973.

The court, chaired by Head of Kuwait’s Judiciary Council Faisal Al-Rashed, annulled the National Assembly elections held on February 2, 2012 and cancelled the membership of its declared winners.

The court based its decision on the grounds that two decrees to dissolve the former parliament and to call for fresh elections were illegal.

The ruling also stipulated that “the previous parliament regains its constitutional pow-

ers as if it had not been dissolved”.

The ruling comes two days after His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s decree to suspend parliament sessions for a month, following rising tensions between the parliament and the government. In early December last year, HH the Amir issued a decree to dissolve the par-

liament, issuing another decree a few days later inviting Kuwaitis to elect a new parliament on Feb 2.

The Kuwaiti parliament has been dissolved four times since 2006, but this is the first time in the history of the country that the parliament was dissolved by a constitutional court ruling. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Cabinet session in progress yesterday.

Wataniya employees bid farewell to ex-GM & CEO KUWAIT: Following four years of distinguished leadership, the time has come for Wataniya Telecom to bid farewell to former GM and CEO Scott Gegenheimer. In honor of his achievements and contributions to the Wataniya’s successful journey, the company held a farewell ceremony on Tuesday at the Hotel Missoni attended

by Acting CEO Eng Abdolaziz Fakhroo, top management, and all Wataniya staff.

Under his direction, Wataniya Telecom was honored with “The Telecom of the Year”, “Middle East Operator of the Year” and “ The Best Loyalty Program” awards, to name a few. It was his vision and guidance that has enabled Wataniya to develop a differentiated strategy focusing on Customer Experience. Scott Gegenheimer’s foresight and dedication has played a significant role in positioning Wataniya as a leader in the telecom industry and elevating the quality of products to meet the growing demand for innovative communication ser vices in Kuwait.

In his farewell speech,

Gegenheimer expressed: “The four years that I spent at Wataniya Telecom as a GM and CEO have been an important step in my career. I have worked with brilliant teams and exceptional individuals who have helped me to positively contribute to the development and growth of the company. I’ve seen a lot of changes in this time; Wataniya has accomplished a lot and achieved significant milestones in the last few years. I’m proud of all that we have achieved so far.”

Gegenheimer handed over the reins to Fakhroo and wished him all the very best in the challenges and prestigious responsibilities that await him. From his end, and on behalf of Wataniya Telecom, Fakhroo appreciated and praised Gegeheimer’s contribution to the company and said: “ We would like to wish Gegenheimer the best of luck in his future endeavors and thank him for his valuable contribution to the advancement of Wataniya Telecom. There will always be a place for him in our hearts.”

Internet users make up 69% of Kuwaiti population KUWAIT: The number of internet users in Kuwait had reached 69 percent of the total population by the end of April, Online Media Expert, Scott Rewick, revealed. In a seminar organized yesterday by the Kuwait’s Central Agency for Information Technology, Rewick said that internet users in Kuwait totaled 75 percent of Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti residents, according to Ipsos statistics.

He stated that 66 percent of Kuwaiti males use the internet on daily basis compared with 49 percent of females. Rewick estimated the internet users constitute 80 percent of Arab expats in Kuwait.

He pointed out that this coincides with the ever increasing amount internet users around the world. Moreover, he added that members of social networking site facebook.com are steadily growing and numbers are expected to hit one billion shortly. He noted that online advertising is also increasing and that facebook circulates

400 billion worth of ads per month. Rewick further added that the most commonly used internet browsers are Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Firefox, with each make up 36, 26 and 17 percent of users in the Middle East respectively.

Apple’s iPad tops the list of Tablet PCs used in the region. He stated that online advertising has grown in the past few years to have a huge share of the world’s advertisement industry. Rewick noted that the number of smart phone users around the world has reached 4.6 billion, adding that companies and governments are trying to reach users through Smartphone applications.

For his part, Director General o f t h e Ce n t r a l Ag e n c y fo r I n fo r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y, Abdullatif Al-Sarea, said that the seminar is par t of the CAIT ’s efforts to raise awareness about information technology among Kuwaitis. — KUNA

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LOCAL

‘First class’ services for KAC passengers Steps for smooth traffic flow KUWAIT: In preparation for the peak season traffic, the Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) assistant ground ser vices manager, Mohamed Nahar Al-Muttairi has made a special plan to facilitate and assist KAC passengers. Al-Muttairi explained that additional back up shift is operating round the clock in addition to the temporarily hired staff members to provide various services at the airport.

He said that in order to facilitate travelling for KAC passengers and to ease traffic at the depar ture lounge, early luggage weighing ser vices would be provided between 12 to 2 am the night before departure at counters 8-12

except for flight KU 117 bound to New York for security reasons. He also noted that check in services for passengers who weigh their luggage a night earlier and those who booked online would be provided through counters 1-4.

Moreover, Al-Muttairi stressed that KAC’s Maraheb section located at both the departure and arrival lounges provides various high quality ser vices such as Maraheb Golden Services that involves picking passengers at home and dropping them at the airport.

Other services include; getting their luggage checked in, taking them through passport section through special first class counters

and provide special services at the Dasman lounge prior to boarding.

Similar services are provided on arrival where passengers are received with roses and welcome coffee then driven back home. He added that the regular Maraheb ser vice involves reception and assistance in official procedures including visa delivery.

“We also offer Dasman Lounge services to other carrier passengers for competitive prices”, he added. In addition, Al-Muttairi said that the special services section would help the sick, senior, special needs and kids traveling unaccompanied on KAC flights to go through all departure and arrival procedures.

Detainees must be charged or released within two days KUWAIT: Police will be required to finalize their investigations and press charges against detainees within 48 hours of their arrest if they want detainees to remain in custody. The change comes following new regulations that will be implemented from July 10, 2012.

Attorney General Dherar Al-Asousy announced the order, which was received by the Public Prosecution, on Tuesday. The order is based on amendments passed by the parliament to reduce the remanding period. Police are currently allowed to hold a suspect for a maximum of four days until they are charged.

Furthermore, the new amendments allow detainees to appeal their remanding orders - which must be settled within 48 of the date the appeal is forwarded.

A suspect can be remanded for a maximum of 40 days as per the new stipulations, which overruled the current provision in which they can be remanded for up to six months.

In addition, a suspect cannot be remanded in jail if they are facing a misdemeanor charge punishable by a maximum of 3 months in jail. As per the new procedures, police are required to explain to detainees the reasons why they are held and allow them to contact a lawyer. — Al-Qabas

Cheating widespread at Kuwait University KUWAIT: Sixty two percent of Kuwait University students admitted having previous experience in cheating, while 93 percent say that they had witnessed classmates cheat during exams, says a recent study published by the research department in the students affairs’ deanship. The study which is based on results of a survey featuring 158 students selected randomly from all of the KU’s faculties indicated most of the students believe that cheating is widespread. “Finding radical solutions to this problem requires several steps that include studies and other efforts to increase awareness regarding the importance of exams”, the head of

the research department Tariq Dashty said.

Cheating incidents happen despite the fact that 86% of students are aware of the regulations and penalties as the survey shows.

The study recommends seminars to discuss the negative effects of cheating on students’ collective studying process both on the short and long terms, as well as showing no tolerance in taking punitive measures against cheaters. Other solutions the study recommends include avoiding pop quizzes “which encourage unprepared students to cheat” as well as select questions that require students to use analytical skills in answering.

Consumer Hotline - 135 K U WA I T: K u w a i t i M i n i s t e r o f Commerce and I ndustr y Anas Al-Saleh said yesterday his ministry offered all necessary support to the Commercial Control Authority which played a crucial super visor y role on the local market and protects the

interests of consumers. “ The ministry puts all its resources at the disposal of the supervisors in order to ensure the success of their efforts and the desired results,” Al-Saleh said during his meeting with personnel of the authority. — KUNA

KUWAIT: A delegation from the Guangdong province of the People’s Republic of China headed by Mo Gaoyi, Director General, Information Office at the People’s Government, visited Kuwait Times offices on Tuesday and met Kuwait Times Marketing Director Adnan Saad and Editor Velina Nacheva. They discussed a myriad of issues ranging from opportunities for cooperation between Guangdong province and Kuwait. The delegation, which included media representatives from some of the biggest media establishments in Guangdong province, also discussed mutual fields of interest. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

ABK holds first draw for ‘Win a million miles’ KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) held its first draw for ‘Win a million miles with ABK’ summer campaign.

The draw was held yesterday at the main branch, under the supervision of the Ministr y of Commerce and Industr y (MCI). ‘ The campaign enabled ABK Emirates credit cardholders the opportunity to win valuable prizes in the form of Skywards Miles. Cardholders who used their cards locally and overseas for KD 100 or above, between 1 to 31 May were entitled to enter the draw.

Zayed Al-Rasheedi won the first place prize of 125,000 Skywards Miles

by Mansouriya branch. The second prize winner of 75,000 miles was Naser Al-Mutawa from the main branch and lastly Husain AlRamadhan from Hawally branch was the third winner with 50,000 Skywards Miles. Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking stated, “We launched the

summer campaign for cardholders to have an opportunity to enter draws to win 1 Million Skywards Miles in prizes.

To enter a draw, you have to spend at least KD 100 using ABK Emirates credit cards during the specified months of the promotion. The more purchases made, the more chances there is to win valuable miles. The timing of the offer coincides with the travel season. So clients can benefit and double their chances of winning.

In addition to the prizes clients received up to seven Skywards Miles for every KD 1 spent using their ABK Emirates credit cards.”

Lockie added, “The promotion continues till 31 August 2012, with three lucky winners to be drawn every month and a grand draw winner to be announced at the end of the summer.

To those who were not lucky, keep spending as you still have a lot of time. Several opportunities remain in

Stewart Lockie winning those fabulous Skywards Miles, and get a chance to travel the world for free.” For more information, you can chat live with an ABK representative on Ahli Chat via our website www.eahli.com. You can call Ahlan Ahli at 1 899 899.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

in my view

Legislators’ quest for better pastures

Prince Nayef and world security

By Abdulateef Al-Mulhim

lthough I strongly suppor t the Parliament’s Islamist bloc and have already voted for two of them, I also feel strongly against some of their misguided statements and demands.

Their demand that at least nine of them be appointed as ministers make one suspect that their intentions and attempts to twist the truth and force the political leadership into making specific decisions, was not welcomed by political movements that form an integral part of parliamentary or public decision-making bodies.

We have some very bad previous experiences with ministers, some of which that continue to affect many of our ministries.

Many incompetent undersecretaries, directors or managers were appointed merely because they were related to this or by sectarian or tribal allegiances. In fact, there are many examples of it in each and every ministry.

Frankly speaking, I cannot conceal my fear, as well that of so many others. The ministerial post that legislators demand, eventually turn out to be the core of an early electoral campaign aimed at appointing some suppor ters and campaign officers in cer tain positions. They are later asked to perform different favors for voters in the upcoming parliamentary elections!

The current parliamentary majority bloc comprises thirty five MPs, which qualifies them to propose or suggest bills or draft laws, forcing the government approve it.

They can also annul previous laws and iron out the government’s performance only if their intentions are good.

Dear MP, we elected you to implement a set laws and legislations to fight corruption to improve Kuwait and cope with the latest international developments. Unfortunately, what some of you are doing is frustrating.

Are you aware of that? —Al-Anbaa

he Middle East is known for being the most volatile area in the world. Each country has a lot of challenges and security threat, be it outside or inside threat. Saudi Arabia was and still is the most stable island in a sea of turbulence. And Saudi Arabia had and still has the burden of being the center of gravity not in the Middle East only, but in the whole world.

Saudi Arabia is the center of the Islamic world and is the country where the Two Holy Mosques are located.

Crown Prince Nayef, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, was one of the few people who had influenced the world security. Saudi Arabia is a country which has been looked at for guidance and advice by many countries on security issues.

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Nayef, the Arab Interior Ministers Council adopted security strategies and agreements, such as the Arab Security Strategy in Baghdad in 1984, the Arab Preemptive Security Plan in Tunisia in 1985, the Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism signed by the Arab Ministers of Interior and Justice in 1998 and the Arab Strategy Draft Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

The kingdom shares thousands of kilometers of shoreline and thousands of kilometers of border with many countries. Every year Saudi Arabia receives millions of Muslims for Haj and millions more visit the kingdom throughout the year for Umrah. So, how does Saudi Arabia manage to ensure security and be able to make arrangements to ensure all facilities and comforts for its religious and business visitors without having any impact on the rest of the population?

To try to understand these complicated issues, we have to ask who is Crown Prince Nayef and what he had stood for and how did he manage to do these?

Crown Prince Nayef was born in 1934 and passed away on June 16, 2012. His life has been full of achievements in every aspect. He was a man of tough missions when it comes to security of the country. In the year 1975, he became the minister of interior. It was a time when the cold war was at its peak and it was the time when ideology could shift the toughest political sands.

The Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia has been assigned the most difficult task because it is responsible for securing the inside and outside of the kingdom, which covers an area of about one million square miles.

The ministry is responsible for the police, passport control, anti-drug enforcement, civil defense, traffic control and the coast guard. Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries that has been able to achieve maximum control on internal security without being a police state.

Saudis have never heard of security cameras until recently. Saudis didn’t know the meaning of heavy door locks.

Ten years ago, the most shocking terrorist attack was committed and the kingdom also became a target of terrorists.

Crown Prince Nayef took over the security of the country and the brainwashed young deviants came to realize that Saudi Arabia was no place for adventure.

The whole world was surprised when they heard of a program of rehabilitation for any young man who was brainwashed by foreign elements. They were treated with respect as humans and citizens. Prince Nayef was the man behind those achievements.

As the interior minister, the prince paid special attention to counter extremist ideology and terrorism. He was convinced of the need to deal with the extremism at an intellectual plane. He established a special department, called the Intellectual Security Department, within the Ministry of Interior in 2007. His activities in this line included the establishment and funding of the Prince Nayef Chair for Intellectual Security at the King Saud University in 2008, funding the Prince Nayef Chair for National Unity Studies in Imam Muhammad Islamic University in 2009, supporting dozens of research studies on the phenomenon of extremism and its links.

In the outside world, when a country is being selected to host a sport event, the security plans start the same day. A security check for the hundreds of sports fans begins. Saudi Arabia hosts millions of pilgrims every year. And they move from one spot to another in the vicinity of Makkah and it is done year after year without any security breach. Crown Prince Nayef used to supervise the whole event from day one to the end of the pilgrimage season. All departments of the Ministry of Interior are mobilized.

With the aim of promoting Islamic learning, the prince instituted prizes such as the Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud International Prize for Sunnah and Contemporary Islamic Studies and the Prince Nayef Competition for Memorization of Hadith.

Prince Nayef was like a father figure to the Ministry of Interior people. And he was in close contact with all threads of the Saudi society. When some Saudi security personal lost their lives, Prince Nayef took a direct care of the fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and wives of all dead security personal. They were given housing, jobs and allowances in addition to their regular government monthly pay. The Interior Ministry personal knew they had the best insurance. Prince Nayef didn’t only build a security force, but he built hospitals, schools and modern day infrastructure for the ministry’s personal. Many of the Ministry of Interior’s personal had been educated in the best schools in the Kingdom and in the West.

Prince Nayef built the men before he built the infrastructure. He was educated in the best political schools, which is called the House of Al Saud.

Prince Nayef was appointed crown prince and deputy premier on Oct. 27 last year.

As the minister of interior, the prince was noted for his commendable fight against terrorism, which resulted in stamping out the extremist menace from Saudi Arabia for good.

Born in Taif, the prince received his early education in religion, modern culture and diplomacy at the royal court. He also benefited from the vision of his father who was known for his political acumen and unparalleled statesmanship.

He was the vice governor and the governor of Riyadh at an early age. This gave him an edge in dealing with public and knowing all members of the families and tribes in the Saudi Kingdom.

Prince Nayef has left us for heaven Inshaa Allah. But, he left us a country, which is an example in internal security, something many countries are hoping for.

Prince Nayef made the sense of security in Saudi Arabia simple reality.

T

By Saad Al-Motish

A

kuwait digest

An urgent letter to Ministry of Health

By Abdullah Buwair magine a security guard working in a local polyclinic (also doubles as the registration officer) taking a break to chat with a co-worker at the office next door. This is not a figment of my imagination, but something that actually happened.

I have personal experience with the incompetency of the health sector in Kuwait because my late mother was a victim.

She passed away as a result of a heart failure caused by an overdose of Lasix drug she took based on a wrong prescription provided at Mubarak Hospital. I learnt this from the head of the cardiac diseases section at another hospital I consulted.

What inspired me to write about the deteriorating health

I

sector is a recent stor y that appeared in the press about the head of the nursing department at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor who has been suffering from Hepatitis C since 2004, according to tests results obtained from the Ministry of Health’s laboratories. The report quotes MoH sources add that senior MSAL officials are aware of the expatriate official’s medical condition but failed to take adequate measures to protec t staff members and people alike.

According to the same sources, the ministr y also ignores calls made forbidding the appointment of Kuwaiti and GCC citizens at expatriate labor forces’ examination centers for more integrity “and to prevent

the problem from escalating to uncontrollable levels.”

I also came across a stor y about eleven endocrinologists that face penalties in connection with working for private medical centers while taking foreign trips paid for by the ministry to attend conferences on latest technologies.

This brings me to the time when a doctor at a medical facility in Hawally once told me that she discovered shor tly after she started working at the facility’s diabetes center that three of her coworkers are not academically qualified to treat diabetics. I hope that the Ministry of Health begins exerting real efforts to tackle the problems facing local medical facilities. —Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Elections cannot restore balance

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij rticle 106 of the Constitution clearly states that HH the Amir has the right to suspend parliamentar y sessions for a month.

Suspension, in this case, means placing parliamentary sessions on hold, as opposed to suspending parliamentary committees’ meetings.

This is in addition to lifting the immunity enjoyed by legislators temporarily.

A few days before HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah passed a decision to suspend the Parliament, the Democratic Forum released a statement to comment on the ‘lack of progress’ in the country. The statement is needed to identify reasons behind this situation. As expected, the Cabinet can be blamed for ‘failing to fulfill administrative duties.’

While I agree that the Cabinet should be criticized, failing to recognize other parties who share responsibility such as the public and other social parties is wrong because they play a major role in setting the course of the government.

It is noteworthy that the Democratic Forum holds the Parliament’s oppositionist majority least responsible by blaming them for only “failing to fulfill promises made during election campaigns.” What promises are they exactly talking about? Enforcing Islamized and conservative laws? This is the true agenda of the tribalIslamist majority that won in February’s elections. Anti-corruption and development are never part of their agenda; unless they are used as means to boost Islamization.

The Democratic Forum ignores, perhaps intentionally, thanks to its pro-democracy approach, the real reasons behind the present political turmoil, which is the fact. We are reaping the fruits of a coalition forged between the government, tribal and religious groups to take over the political scene since forgery of the 1967 parliament elections. Since that year, the political scene (and the society before it) has been adjusted to limit the principles of freedom, justice and equality, which has turned Kuwait’s democratic system into a means by which religious and tribal groups force their opinions.

Addressing this situation is what Kuwait really needs, and it cannot be done unless exceptional measures are taken. The Democratic Forum and other nationalistic movements remain too naÔve because they still believe that balance can be restored in the political scene through ballot boxes. That is not only hard, but impossible unless the religious-tribal dominance over the society and political scene is countered. —Al-Qabas

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

local

News

in brief

Seats for Kuwaiti students LOS ANGELES: Five seats for Kuwaiti dentistry students are available annually at the University of Colorado as of next year in accordance with an agreement with the university, said the Kuwaiti culture bureau yesterday. Head of the bureau Dr Ali Abdulrazzak said that this agreement was achieved via extensive talks with officials at the university, affirming that the bureau was very keen on developing the academic and professional skills of Kuwaiti students in order to enable them to become an asset to their country. The official thanked Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf and ministry officials for their efforts in this field.

2,070 job opportunities for expats KUWAIT: The Civil Services Commission (CSC) has agreed to a request put forward by the Health Ministry to provide 2,070 job opportunities to expatriate doctors, pharmacists, nurses and technicians to fill in under-staffed departments in various hospitals and medical centers.

KUWAIT: A team from the fire-fighting deapartment led by Col Hussain Assad paid an inspection tour to Farwaniya hospital to inspect fire fighting systems and to ensure that all fire systems were in working order. Col Assad said that such visits work to ensure the safety of patients and workers in the hospital. He thanked the hospital administration for their cooperation during the three-day inspection.

Tarasov’s mandate extended UN chief urges Kuwait, Iraq to cooperate UNITED NATIONS: Acting upon recommendation from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council yesterday decided to extend the financing of the High-level Coordination on the issues of property Gennady Tarasov’s mandate, missing Kuwaitis and other nationals until the end of this year. He urged Kuwait and Iraq in the meantime to explore “other arrangements” to ensure continued cooperation, and to enable the council to consider “other modalities” to continue reporting on the issues.

In a press statement following a council closed-door meeting during which Tarasov briefed the members on Ban’s most recent report on the issues, Council President Li Baodong of China said the decision was taken “in order to continue to build upon recent increased momentum” towards the full implementation of relevant council resolutions. The statement said the council urged Kuwait and Iraq to “sustain and intensify their constructive engagement” with the HighLevel Coordinator. It supported Ban’s opinion that both sides should begin “exploring other arrangements to consolidate and ensure continued cooperation in the search for missing persons and property, including the national archives, so that the Security Council will, in the near future, be in a position to consider other modalities to continue reporting on the search.”

In his six-month report released last Thursday, Ban expressed regret that no substantial progress was achieved on either of the two issues, and therefore recommended the continued financing of the High-level Coordinator’s mandate until the end of the year. He urged Iraq and Kuwait to begin exploring “other arrangements” to consolidate their cooperation. According to the statement, the council was “encouraged by the recent positive developments in Iraqi-

Kuwaiti bilateral relations,” particularly after the exchange of visits at the highest level, as well as the positive outcome of the second session of the Joint Kuwait-Iraq Ministerial Committee.

The council “called on both states to continue to act in a spirit that builds further confidence and cooperation, which should contribute to the strengthening of their good neighborly relations and enhancing regional stability,” the statement said. It also welcomed the continued cooperation of both governments and their “high-level commitments to full implementation of all Iraqi obligations to Kuwait under the relevant resolutions.”

Expressing once again their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of those involved, the council members “recognized the proactive efforts on the part of Iraq in the search for missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, but stressed the need for Iraq to continue to build on the steps already taken to fully meet its commitments.” The council appreciated Tarasov’s efforts and the important work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Tripartite Commission (TC) and its Technical Subcommittee (TSC) during the reporting period.

It welcomed the active participation by both governments in the efforts undertaken in the framework of the Technical Subcommittee, including the latest joint exploratory missions, as well as an increased emphasis on information gathering and the adoption of a new plan of action. It noted that joint exploratory missions, within the framework of the TSC and under the aegis of the ICRC, “appear to be an appropriate and concrete mechanism to probe the fate of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and urged continued cooperation to translate efforts into tangible results.”

Spurious liquor found

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A car parked in Al-Adan Hospital parking raised police’s suspicion. After inspecting thoroughly, 110 bottles of imported liquor were found. Hospital administration reported to police that the car has been parked there for several days. It was later found that the vehicle was reported stolen.

Sibling rivalry A female citizen filed a complaint with police stating that her brother attacked her house and beat her up due to a dispute over inheritance. A case was registered and police are investigating the case.

Illegal residents Jahra police carried out a campaign against illegal residents and arrested 500 individuals.

Mishap at Doha port A 30-year-old Iranian expat fell from a boat at Doha port and fractured his left leg.

He was admitted to Al-Sabah hospital.

Fire in Farwaniya A fight broke out between two Pakistani

expats in Farwaniya, opposite Farwaniya clinic. A 30-year-old suffered a shoulder injury, while the other,a 41-year-old fractured his right shoulder. Both were admitted to Farwaniya hospital.

Car accidents In a car accident that took place in Hawally, Beirut Street, a 44-year-old Jordanian woman fractured her arm. She was admitted to Mubarak hospital.

A car accident took place along the Fifth Ring Road opposite Al- Andalus. A 23-yearold citizen sustained multiple injuries in the crash. Also, a 20-year-old bedoon suffered back pain. Both were admitted to Al-Sabah hospital.

In another accident that took place along the Fourth Ring Road, opposite maidan Hawally, a 30-year- old bedoon suffered injuries and was admitted to Mubarak hospital. An 11-year-old Egyptian boy also sustained an injury to the head.

Negligence to blame Deputy Director of Fire Department, Khalid Al-Mikrad, said that the increasing rate of fires lately across Kuwait, especially in the industrial areas like Amghara Scrap yard and Shuwaikh Industrial area, are a result of the negligence of employees. They revealed that the owners and officials of certain establishments do not abide by the safety rules and conditions laid down by fire department. He added that the administration will continue to implement the fire department’s rules and regulations and that there will be penalties against violators who fail to abide by safety procedures.

On the issue of property, the council welcomed Baghdad’s establishment of an interministerial committee to lead and coordinate efforts with regard to the Kuwaiti national archives. The council welcomed Iraq’s recent return of microfilm cassettes, currency, documents, and safe keys to Kuwait, but “noted the Secretary-General’s concern that no substantial progress has been made on clarifying the fate of the national archives.”

It noted that “sustained efforts on this file could bear results,” and reiterated its call for an “intensification of efforts” to clarify the whereabouts of the archives through the inter-ministerial committee and for its results to be regularly reported to the United Nations. Finally, the council expressed its “willingness to consider” both files in the context of their review of Ban’s next report which would determine if Iraq is fit to exit the Chapter VII of the UN Charter.”— KUNA

New insurance law KUWAIT: MP Abdul Rahman Al-Anjeri has proposed a draft bill for a new insurance law to the parliamentary financial committee which, he said, he expects to be finalized by the end of the current parliamentary term. Al-Anjeri further noted that the bill he suggested calls for a reduction in the total number of the insurance law articles from 80 to only 16, which would include all the latest in business insurance. He added that the new bill was set after reviewing the insurance laws of fellow GCC states.

Kuwait-France military agreement KUWAIT: Chief of General Staff of the Army Lt Gen Khalid Jarrah Al-Sabah signed yesterday with his French counterpart a bilateral cooperation agreement on military aspects, a press statement of the army said on the occasion of the return of Chief of Staff and the military delegation accompanying him from France. The delegation held talks with French officials - discussing the most important matters of common concern, particularly those relating to ways of promoting bilateral military cooperation.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LOCAL

Rich Saudi struggles to employ its graduates

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait has announced that it will provide financial support to the Public Authority of Industry’s football team. It has completed the third in this year’s Ministries’ League, an annual tournament featuring teams representing state departments.

Kuwaiti admits setting fires in Amghara scrapyard ‘I can’t be punished if Syrian regime is not punished’ KUWAIT: Investigations are currently ongoing to determine whether a male suspect is involved in setting off the fires in Amghara scrapyard following his arrest with possession of a flammable substance near the location.

According to a security source with knowledge of the case, the Kuwaiti man was busted driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs.

The man who is in his forties was taken into custody after an empty gas gallon was found in his possession. During investigations, the man, an unemployed resident of the Saad AlAbdullah area, admitted responsibility for Tuesday’s fire, as well as two other fires reported in Amghara. When asked about his motives, the man responded “I shouldn’t be punished for my action when the Syrian regime is not punished for the crimes against the Syrian civilians”. The suspect also indicated that he uses another car he keeps near the Amghara scrap yard to store gas cylinders.

The suspect is still in custody for further investigations.

Worker dies in mishap A construction was killed in Mina Abdullah in an apparent accident that is still under investigations. Paramedics and police rushed to a construction site in the area following a report about a worker found unconscious after falling off of a height. The Filipino man was pronounced dead on the scene and his body was referred to the forensic department. Preliminary investigations found no evidence of foul play at the scene. In another development, a construction worker in Sabah Al-Salem fell on top of a pile of sand after slipping from the third floor of a building under renovation. The Pakistani man was treated at the Adan Hospital.

Egyptian man dies Investigations are underway to determine whether there was a foul play in the death of an Egyptian man who died before he was brought to Al-Adan Hospital recently. Preliminary investigations indicate that the man died of natural causes.

Drunk driver A drunk driver was arrested along with his companion during a recent patrol mission in Jaber Al-Ali. Patrol officers had ordered a vehicle to pull over for dangerous driving. Soon after which they placed the driver and a man in the passenger’s seat under arrest for intoxication. The two were taken to the proper authorities to face charges.

Shepherd found An Asian man was hospitalized after police found him in the middle of the desert where he had reportedly lost. Search went underway after a Kuwaiti man reported about his missing shepherd, adding that he couldn’t have willingly escaped because his belongings are still present inside his jakhour (livestock farm).

Police found the man two hours later in bad shape suffering from dehydration. He explained that he lost his way after going in search for a missing sheep, but couldn’t find his way back afterwards.

18,000 labor complaints filed in 2011 KUWAIT: Nearly 18,000 complaints were filed at local labor departments last year, including more than 3,000 cases that were referred to court, a local daily reported yesterday, quoting Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor(MSAL) insiders.

“Labor Disputes Division at the ministry’s

Labor Affairs Department has received 17,987 complaints from employees in 2011, including 2,958 cases that were successfully settled.

Also 3,234 were referred to court,” said sources who provided statistics to Al-Jarida.

At least 6,175 complaints filed last year were shelved “owing to a lack of follow up

action or voluntarily withdrawal of the complaint.” At least 3,064 cases were shelved thanks to no legal action based on which complaints were made. Most complaints were filed for non-payment of salaries, indemnities, overtime or allowances for annual leave payment. —Al-Jarida

RIYADH: Saudis face the spectre of unemployment as the oil-rich kingdom, home to millions of foreign workers, battles to enrol tens of thousands of its mostly young population who graduate each year.

Although the kingdom has the largest Arab economy, and is the world’s biggest oil exporter, the unemployment rate remains above 10 percent in a country where youth represent 55 to 60 percent of around 19 million nationals.

“I applied for jobs with the public and private sector, but I had no luck,” complained Majed Hasan, 26, who has an English-language degree, and that the low salary and long working hours drove him away from working at a translation office.

Majed, who lives in the western city of Jeddah, said he worked for a year in a telecommunications shop, then opened his own grocery, which he had to shut down “due to competition from foreigners.”

Mufreh al-Kubaishi, 25, who has a law degree from an Australian university, said he was “considering going for post-graduate studies because (work) conditions are not encouraging.”

He said he has two sisters and a brother in the southwestern province of Jazan who graduated a few years ago and are still without jobs.

The World Bank has said unemployment among Saudis has remained above 10 percent in past years, hitting mainly newcomers into the labour force, especially university graduates.

Dozens of universities across the desert kingdom pump out some 100,000 graduates every year into a work force dominated by some eight million foreigners, mostly from Southeast Asia, who are prepared to take the low wages that a Saudi would reject.

One of the main problems is that Saudis prefer government jobs, where salaries are better and working hours are shorter than in the private sector.

The private sector appears also not keen on employing Saudis.

Saudi economist Ihsan Abu Haliqa argued that the problem is due to a “lack of determination” to accommodate the Saudis in jobs that are filled by foreigners.

Official statistics show that in 2011 alone, some 1.1 million work visas were issued for foreigners who are above the level of domestic workers and the like.

This means around 100,000 workers being brought in monthly,” he said.

Economics lecturer at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Farouk al-Khatib, said the public sector represents job security and less stress for Saudis.

“The rights of employees are better secured than they are in the private sector. There is no arbitrary dismissal, nor overtime work, while working hours end in the early afternoon, and the weekend break is two days,” he said.

He said that even those who do join the private sector continue to look for a job in the public sector.

In an attempt to tackle the growing problem, Saudi authorities have been for many years trying to “Saudise” jobs and created a support programme for job seekers.

In January, Labour Minister Adel Faqih said “the main challenge facing us is how to find new jobs for Saudis in the private sector, because we need three million posts by 2015 and six million by 2030.”

He said Saudis should replace foreign workers, who “transfer home 100 billion riyals ($26.7 billion/21.1 billion euros) a year.”

Under its “Nitaqat” (Ranges) programme, which is aimed at prodding local firms to employ Saudis, the labour ministry imposed new quotas last year on companies for hiring local staff, which would determine their ability to recruit foreigners.

For example, banks with a work force of up to 500 must now have a work force that is at least 49 percent Saudi.

Those in the wholesale trade with the same number of staff have to employ a minimum of 19 percent Saudis, with the same quota applied to media, insurance companies and government schools.

Meanwhile, for those still unemployed, some 1.23 million people benefit from a programme known as “Hafiz” (Incentive), 86 percent of them women, according to the director of the programme, Khaled al-Ajmi.

Hafiz pays a monthly allowance of 2,000 riyals ($534/418 euros) to those on its lists.

Official figures show that unemployment among women surges to near 30 percent, with some one million women looking for jobs, including 373,000 who are university graduates.

Women face massive restrictions in the job market due to the strict rules of segregation between men and women in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has been reaping the windfall of high oil prices for several years, with inflated receipts allowing the government to spend on social needs and splash on infrastructure investments.

The economy of Saudi Arabia grew by 7.1 percent last year, Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf said earlier this month after growing by 4.6 percent in 2010. —- AFP

Fraudsters lure bedoons with ‘foreign’ passports KUWAIT: Investigating on what is known as ‘Eritrean and Dominican bedoons’, informed security sources said that there are hundreds of former bedoons who have legalized their status by acquiring passports from these countries between 1998-2006. The sources added that some local commercial offices mediated between the diplomats from those countries and interested bedoons.

The sources added that recently, many bedoons have become victims of fraudsters — claiming to be acquiring passports from some African countries. One of these offices has online adverts describing it as ‘the official agent for Ghana’s economic normalization program’, offering passport issue services for $15,000. Seven people have been arrested in this regard.

One of the victims said he was swindled in 2011 by an Arab man in one of those offices. He added that he paid KD 2,400 for two Dominican passports - for him and his wife in addition to KD 600 for each of his three kids. He said that he paid half of the total sum in advance. “Two months later, I found out that the office had been closed down with no traces of any of its staff”, the man said.

Meanwhile, the embassy of Eritrea in Kuwait has stressed that all Eritrean passports held by former bedoons were authentic and had been legally issued.

GCC meeting for postal service, IT begins

KUWAIT: The Shaab Club prepared a recreational program for Kuwait Society for the Blind with participation of club members, announced Saleem Al-Jairan, Supervisor of Al-Shaab Club at the Touristic Enterprise Company(TEC). Recreational competitions was held among club and society members. Al-Jairan added that members were provided with all facilities and gifts were distributed. Nasser Al-Saalawi was honored for participating in the program.

RIYADH: The 21st meeting of Ministerial Committee for Postal Service, Communications and Information Technology of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) began here yesterday. Mohamed Jamil Mulla, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Saudi Arabia and the meeting’s chairman, expressed hope for a successful outcome of the meeting, hoping that it will contribute to the development of the postal sector, telecommunications, information technology and promotion of all aspects of joint coordination.

The GCC Secretary General, Dr Abdul Latif Al-Zayani said that the ministerial committee has exerted efforts to deal competently with regional and international developments. Al-Zayani added in a speech delivered on his behalf

by Abdullah Al-Shibli Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs of the GCC Secretariat that the meeting’s agenda is full of many important postal topics including the continued success in the area of procurement of common supplies and equipment especially ‘Gulf Express.’

He added that the meeting’s agenda also includes a review of the establishment of local and international exhibitions of stamps and completion of the Uniform Code for the GCC countries to organize the work and activities of private companies working in the field of express mail, shipping packages and other topics. —KUNA

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

Up to 27 million ‘living in slavery’

Taleban suicide attack kills 21 Page 11

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HATAY: A Syrian refugee stands yesterday at the Kilis refugee camp near the Syrian border. Refugee camps in the southeastern provinces of Hatay, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Kilis shelter nearly 31,000 Syrians, a number that surged after a recent escalation of violence in Syria, particularly in northwestern towns near the Turkish border. —AFP

20 die as Syria rebels storm army barracks Red Cross to pluck wounded from Syria’s Homs GENEVA: Aid teams stood ready yesterday to enter the contested Syrian city of Homs to evacuate people trapped and wounded by 10 days of fighting between rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad. Both sides had agreed to a temporary truce, the International Committee of the Red Cross said from Geneva.

Teams from the ICRC and its partner the Syrian Red Crescent were ready to go into Homs as soon as possible, pending final arrangements.

“Fighting has been raging for more than 10 days between the Syrian Army and armed opposition groups in several neighborhoods of Homs city,” said Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, the ICRC’s regional head of operations.

“Hundreds of civilians are stuck in the old city of Homs, unable to leave and find refuge in safer areas, because of the ongoing armed confrontations.” Pro-opposition Homs residents said rebels and troops were still locked in fierce battles yesterday evening in the neighborhoods the ICRC wanted to enter.

“They are still firing mortars and missiles into the city and there is heavy fighting in AlQusour, Al-Qarabis and Al-Khalidiya,” said activist Abu Yazen. Homs has been at the cen-

tre of the 15-month revolt against Assad and became the focus of world concern in February and March, when opposition-held neighborhoods endured weeks of government bombardments and sniper fire in which hundreds of people were killed. A Homs resident said a similar evacuation agreement was reached a few days ago but collapsed when shots were fired by Assad’s forces. The government said on Tuesday it was trying to evacuate civilians and blamed rebel fighters for obstructing efforts to get people out safely.

In other action, rebels stormed an army barracks in the northwestern province of Latakia overnight and killed at least 20 soldiers, the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The rebels had captured some soldiers, including a colonel, and seized machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, it said. Latakia, a Mediterranean coastal province and home to Syria’s main port, was relatively free of warfare until the past month.

INTERNATIONAL DIFFERENCES As the action unfolded in Syria, world lead-

ers aired their differences over the conflict at the G20 Summit at the Mexican resort of Los Cabos. US President Barack Obama said Assad, whose family have ruled Syria for four decades, had lost all legitimacy and that it was impossible to conceive of any solution to the violence that left him in power. But Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at the end of the summit: “We believe that nobody has the right to decide for other nations who should be brought to power, who should be removed from power.” Alarmed but apparently impotent to resolve the crisis, the outside world is deeply divided in its response to the increasingly sectarian conflict that threatens to become a proxy war for regional powers.

Western nations and their Sunni Muslim allies in the Gulf and Turkey seek Assad’s overthrow but are wary of intervention, while Russia, China and Shiite Iran - Assad’s strategic ally - have protected Assad from a tough international response. The situation has now become so dire that a United Nations observer force, originally deployed to monitor a ceasefire, halted patrols on Saturday after convoys were shot at and attacked by crowds.

Observatory head Rami Abdelrahman said that in the Latakia barracks raid, fighting went on from Tuesday late until just before dawn yesterday. Two buildings were destroyed, he said. In assaults against opposition strongholds across the country, soldiers and militias loyal to Assad killed 19 people yesterday, he said.

Six fatalities were on the outskirts of the capital Damascus which the government has shelled in an attempt to claw back ground lost to the rebels who had set up their own checkpoints. Activists in central Hama city said the army shelled Arbaeen neighborhood and troops were preparing to the storm the area.

Also yesterday, a convoy carrying an Italian journalist was hit by two roadside bombs, killing a Syrian policeman and wounding three others, while it was travelling to the southern town of Deraa, the Italian news agency ANSA said. Claudio Accogli, an ANSA correspondent, was unhurt.

OUTGUNNED The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed by government forces

Police end hostage-taking, detain ‘Al-Qaeda’ gunman TOULOUSE: French police stormed a bank in Toulouse yesterday, arresting a gunman with psychiatric problems who claimed to be an Al-Qaeda militant and freeing his two hostages after a sevenhour siege. The 26-year-old, who had taken four bank employees hostage in the morning in the same area where serial killer Mohamed Merah lived and was shot dead by police in March, was wounded in the stomach in the assault, police sources said. The two other hostages, both women, had been released earlier, and no police officers were injured in the operation, which took place at 4:45 pm local time (1445 GMT), police said. Nearly seven hours earlier the man had entered the CIC bank, demanded money then fired a shot and taken the bank manager and other staff hostage, saying he wanted to negotiate with the elite RAID police unit that killed Merah.

Before the police went in local prosecutor Michel Valet said the gunman “wishes to make it known that this is not at all about money and that

his motives are based on religious convictions.” “We don’t yet know if this is a robbery that went wrong or if (the hostage taking) is a premeditated act,” a police source had told AFP. The man called himself “Boumaza” and had a criminal record, police said.

Another source said he was schizophrenic and “may have stopped his treatment”. He was “put in a foster home when he was little and suffers from rage and fears the outside world,” his sister told AFP over the telephone.

She said he was not very religious, adding, “we went to nightclubs and drank alcohol.” He entered the bank at around 10:00 am and insistently asked for money but staff did not take him seriously, police told AFP. He then produced a gun and took everyone hostage. Parents of pupils at a nearby school were sent a text message telling them to pick up their children, witnesses said, and rapidintervention GIPN police units were dispatched from southern cities Bordeaux and Marseille.

The RAID unit that shot Merah after he went on

a killing spree is based in Paris, hundreds of kilometres to the north. The CIC bank and Merah’s former flat are within 500 metres of each other in Toulouse’s Cote Pavee neighborhood, east of the city centre. Merah was killed at the end of a 32hour siege of his flat after he shot dead seven people-three soldiers, and three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in Toulouse-in a wave of killings that shocked the country.

Toulouse, a city of around 500,000 people, lived in fear while police hunted the killer before he was identified as Merah. His neighbourhood has struggled to shake off the stigma of being associated with him. “We’re going through the same thing as three months ago,” Maria Gonzalez, a mother with two children who could not go home because of the police cordon, said yesterday before the incident was resolved. “We used to be worry-free in the neighbourhood, but since the Mohamed Merah problem, we’re worried. It’s happening again, it’s starting to scare me,” she said.—AFP

during the conflict, while Syria says at least 2,600 members of the military and security forces have been killed by what it calls foreignbacked “Islamist terrorists”. International efforts to halt the violence are deadlocked because Russia and China, which hold veto power in the UN Security Council, have blocked tougher action against Assad. They say the solution must come through political dialogue, an approach most of the Syrian opposition rejects.

But a peace plan proposed by international envoy and Nobel Peace laureate Kofi Annan has all but collapsed and the West is unwilling to intervene militarily, as it did in Libya last year to seal the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.

What began as a peaceful protest movement has developed into a civil war between the armed factions, marked by a campaign of repression by Assad’s forces that has been internationally condemned for its ferocity.

Despite Western diplomatic and moral support for the rebels, the large, well-equipped government forces have them outgunned, making a swift resolution to the conflict an unlikely prospect. — Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Renewed fighting kills nine in Yemen Egyptian militant kills himself with hand grenade SANAA: Renewed fighting in southern Yemen left six Al-Qaeda fighters and three soldiers dead as the government consolidated its recapture of militant strongholds, military officials said yesterday. They said the clashes that continued until early morning took place about 15 kilometers from Azan in Shabwa province. The army seized the town earlier this week and militants fled to mountainous areas. One soldier was also wounded.

In another recently recaptured town, Zinjibar, demining teams spotted an Egyptian militant but he killed himself with a hand grenade before being arrested.

Officials said they also found the bodies of seven militants, including three Egyptians, killed in earlier fighting. Three civilians were killed Tuesday in Zinjibar by landmines planted by the militants, the officials said.

The town is the provincial capital of Abyan province.

Meanwhile, intermittent clashes were still taking place outside Jaar town, near Zinjibar, which was also recaptured by the army earlier last week. As in Azan, the militants had fled to nearby mountains. The officials spoke anonymously according to regulations. The Yemeni military’s push in the south is supported by US military advisers from a command center manned by dozens of US troops in the Al-Annad air base in the southern desert, not far from the main battle zones.

The US considers Al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch, known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, to be the terror network’s most dangerous offshoot. The group had taken advantage of a security vacuum last year

during a popular uprising against Yemen’s longtime leader Ali Abdullah Saleh to seize large swaths of territory in the strategic south, mostly in Abyan but also in Shabwa. That raised fears it could use the area as a foothold to launch more attacks on US targets.

A senior US military official, visiting Yemen on Tuesday, assured officials of the US commitment to continue its support and cooperation in fighting Al-Qaeda. General James N Mattis, commander of US Central Command, met with Yemen’s President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and senior military officials and reaffirmed the US commitment to a strong partnership, the US Embassy in Sanaa said in a press release. It said Mattis discussed “ways that the United States can cooperate with the Yemeni mili-

tary to fight the mutual threat of Al-Qaeda.”

General Mattis informed the Yemeni leaders that “the United States will serve in an advisory capacity as Yemeni leadership restructures the armed forces,” and Washington will “stand by Yemen not only through military cooperation, but also in the political, economic, and humanitarian fields as Yemen proceeds with its historic transition.” Al-Qaeda in Yemen has been blamed for directing a string of unsuccessful bomb plots on US soil from its hideouts.

It also emerged last month that the CIA thwarted a plot to down a US-bound airliner using a new, sophisticated explosive to be hidden in the bomber’s underwear. The planned bomber was actually a double agent who turned the device over to the US government. —AP

Iran nuke impasse stirs pressures and tension Likelihood of yet more sanctions

SITRA: Bahraini riot police forces stand guard after dispersing anti-government protesters before the start of a demonstration in solidarity with political prisoners in the village of Sitra, South of Manama. — AFP

11-year-old awaits verdict DUBAI: A Bahraini court will issue its verdict on July 5 in the trial of an 11-year-old Shiite boy charged with disturbing security, his lawyer said yesterday. “The verdict will be issued on July 5,” his lawyer said after a hearing of the juvenile court in Manama. The announcement comes two days after human rights watchdog Amnesty International urged Bahrain’s courts to drop all charges against the child. The boy, Ali Hasan, was arrested on May 14 and later charged with “taking part in a public assembly aimed at disturbing security.” He was released on bail on June 11.

Nura al-Khalifa, the chief prosecutor for juveniles, said Hasan had been arrested for blocking a street outside the capital Manama with garbage containers and wood planks.

Khalifa said that Hasan had pleaded guilty, admitting he blocked the road repeatedly, and that he was arrested on his third attempt to shut the road. In a statement on Monday,

Amnesty called for the charges to be dropped. Citing the boy’s lawyer, the watchdog said Hassan was “playing with two other young boys... when police officers stopped the children, threatening to shoot them if they did not do as they were told.”

Amnesty said Hasan was moved “between several police stations for a period of about four hours and interrogated... that during that time he was alone, he became hungry and tired and eventually confessed to accusations against him.” He later denied the allegations and said he “confessed because police promised to release him if he did,” it added. Tensions remain high in Bahrain where a month-long Shiite-led uprising was crushed in March 2011.

Demonstrations have intensified in recent months as protesters sporadically clash with the police. Amnesty says 60 people have been killed since the protests first erupted in February last year. — AFP

GAZA CITY: A Palestinian mourner prays over the body of Hadeel Al-Hadad, a twoyear-old girl, during her funeral in Gaza City yesterday.—AFP

Israel’s airstrikes kill Gaza militant JERUSALEM: Israeli aircraft fired missiles yesterday at Gaza militants involved in a deadly infiltration from Egypt earlier in the week, killing one and severely wounding the other, the military claimed. It was Israel’s first official linking of the ambush to Gaza militants. The infiltration on Monday was part of a broader spike of attacks drawing retaliatory Israeli airstrikes, including one yesterday that killed a 14-year-old Palestinian youth and brought the week’s death toll in Gaza to nine, Palestinian officials said.

More than 80 rockets have crashed into Israel this week, wounding several Israelis. The flare-up has been the most serious in months, drawing in militants from Gaza’s ruling Hamas group, which has largely refrained from attacking Israel since a war more than three years ago. Although neither side seems interested in seeing the violence spiral into another war, clashes could easily escalate if casualties multiply.

Palestinian health officials said Moumen Al-Adam, 14, was killed in an airstrike in Gaza City that injured his father and two women.

The Israeli military confirmed an attack in the area but had no further information. It identified the two militants it targeted over the attack from Egypt as Mohammed Rashan and

Ghaleb Irmilat. It said Rashan was a member of Tawhid and Jihad, a group affiliated with the Al-Qaeda terror group and that Irmilat assisted him in planning the attack.

No Palestinian militant group claimed the men, who were killed while riding a motorcycle in southern Gaza. Israeli officials have been concerned that the increasingly lawless Sinai will become a hinterland for Gaza militants, who can sneak across the Gaza-Egypt border through smuggling tunnels. Monday’s attack was further evidence of the stepped-up militant activity in the Egyptian desert area, which descended into unprecedented turmoil after longtime President Hosni Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising early last year.

Israeli and Egyptian security officials say the desert area harbors an array of militant groups, including Palestinian radicals and jihadists inspired by Al-Qaeda. In Monday’s attack, two militants slipped into Israel across its porous border with the Sinai and killed an Israeli Arab construction worker who was on a crew building a security fence meant to avert such attacks. A little known group, the Mujahedeen Shura Council of Jerusalem, identified an Egyptian and a Saudi as the ones who carrying out the attack, but there was no way to verify that claim. — AP

MOSCOW: Western diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program may not have breathed their last but the troubled process appears to be on life support after talks this week failed to resolve a row stirring regional tensions and unsettling oil markets.

Mindful of a possible Israel strike, both Iran and its negotiating partners are keen to pursue even a minimal level of contact to shore up the process despite the failure of the negotiations in Moscow on Monday and Tuesday. A technical discussion is scheduled for July 3 in Istanbul, but no further political talks have been agreed. The West, suspicious Tehran is working towards a nuclear bomb, is due to introduce hardhitting trade sanctions in the two weeks before that.

“Diplomacy in now on a respirator,” said Cliff Kupchan of the Eurasia Group consultancy. “Both sides underestimated the difficulty of moving talks forward. How little progress was made underlines how far apart the sides are on substance.” US-based Iran expert Trita Parsi said if a compromise was not vigorously pursued, “war will become far more likely” “It really does seem like the Iranians just haven’t made the decision to accept limits on their nuclear program,” a Western diplomat said. “If they haven’t made that decision then all the talking in the world really isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

“Iran really pressed for this experts meeting and Russia wanted it so we agreed to do it. It doesn’t feel to us like there is a lot of progress that is going to be made even there. “(But) nobody is going to shut the door entirely.” The six powers - the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany - want Iran to scale back its nuclear work and, in particular, stop enriching uranium to levels that could bring it close to making an atom bomb. Last month, and again in Moscow, the powers asked Tehran to shut down the Fordow underground facility where uranium is being enriched to the 20-percent level of fissile purity and ship any stockpile out of the country.

IRAN SEEKS SANCTIONS RELIEF In return, they have offered fuel to keep Iran’s medical isotope reactor running, assistance in nuclear safety and an end to a ban on spare parts for Iran’s ageing civilian aircraft. Iran denies its work has any military purpose and says the powers should offer it relief from sanctions and acknowledge its right to enriching uranium before it meets their demands. New US and European sanctions are due to come into effect in the next two weeks. In addition to totally banning Iranian oil imports, the EU measures prohibit European insurers from covering Iranian oil exports anywhere in the world, which would leave importers exposed to personal injury and pollution claims.

Western officials are suggesting that even further punitive measures may now be in prospect. After the Moscow discussions broke up, a senior US administration

official said the talks would not go on indefinitely and Tehran should expect more sanctions if it fails to address international suspicions over the nature of its work.

“Sanctions will be increasing. We have told the Iranians there will be more pressure coming if this (lack of progress) proceeds forward,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. There was no immediate world from Israeli officials on the failure of the Moscow talks.

PRESSURE WILL RATCHET UP But on June 4, a US official was quoted as saying the United States was conferring with Israel about new sanctions planned against Iran should the Moscow talks fail. “If we don’t get a breakthrough in Moscow there is no question we will continue to ratchet up the pressure,” said David Cohen, US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Haaretz newspaper reported. The comment offered a strong hint that Washington is continuing to apply the brakes on any plan by Israel to attack Iranian nuclear facilities preemptively. In Paris, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France would continue to strengthen sanctions against Iran. Some analysts say they suspect US President Barack Obama, seeking a second term in November elections, cannot afford politically to make concessions to Tehran right now.

AVERTING ISRAELI STRIKE The Democratic White House has strongly rejected a Republican charge that Obama, who sought to ease 30 years of enmity with Iran after he came to power in early 2009, has shown a lack of resolve abroad. Bijan Khajehpour, an Iranian and managing partner of Atieh International, a Vienna-based consultancy on the Middle East said there were two reasons why the two sides were prepared to engage without a clear result.

One of them was that the continuation of such contacts, both sides calculated, reduced the risk of an Israeli strike. The other reason was that either side suspected time would change the strategic situation in their favor. “Western governments think the sanctions will bite further, Iran will come to its knee and then it will be more willing to compromise,” he said. “From the Iranian perspective, the Americans have an election and it is not clear whether Obama will win ‘so let’s just wait and see what happens’.”

Meir Javedanfar, lecturer on Iranian politics at Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel, said that despite the failure of the Moscow gathering diplomacy was not dead. Neither side would want to show that it was not interested in diplomacy as the costs at home and abroad would be high, he said. “It just means that for this route to succeed, more time and effort will be needed. Until then, both sides will try to use their own leverages to pressure the other side to compromise at the next round, whenever that may be.” — Reuters

CAIRO: An Egyptian woman named Tahani holds a poster of ousted president Hosni Mubarak as she stands outside the military hospital where he was transfered after suffering a stroke in prison in Cairo yesterday.—AFP

News

in brief

Police: Bomb kills 2 in northern Iraq SULAIMANIYAH: A car bomb blast yesterday wounded a judge who oversees terror cases, killing two people and injuring 15 others, in a northern Iraqi city that is rife with ethnic tensions. The explosion went off just as Judge Aziz Ibrahim was arriving at his office near a police station in downtown Kirkuk, said Police Col. Sherzad Mofari. Besides the judge, two of his bodyguards were among the wounded, and three policemen also were injured, Mofari said. Kirkuk is located some 290 kilometers (175 miles) north of Baghdad. The blast also set at least one shop on fire and knocked people to the ground. Ibrahim is a criminal court judge and handles terror cases in Kirkuk, a flashpoint of violence - in part because its population is ethnically divided among Kurds, Arabs and Turkomen. Each group claims the right to control the city and the oil-rich lands around it. A few hours later, a second bomb exploded, apparently targeting an electricity line between Kirkuk and the Sunni-dominated town of Hawija, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the west. Authorities said no injuries were reported, but power was cut in several nearby villages.

Turkish jets strike Kurd rebel bases in north Iraq: army ANKARA: Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq in retaliation for a deadly attack in Turkey’s southeast, the military said yesterday.

The strikes come after rebels on Tuesday attacked Turkish military units in the town of Yuksekova in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border. The fighting between Turkish soldiers and rebels claimed 34 lives.

“The targets belonging to the separatist terrorist organisation across the border in the north of Iraq were effectively hit by Turkish Air Force aircraft,” the general staff said in a statement posted on its website. The jets safely returned to their bases in Turkey after fulfilling their mission successfully, it added. Twenty-six rebels who were shot dead by the military belonged to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and crossed into Turkey from their bases in northern Iraq to attack Turkish military posts. This mountainous region of Turkey is often the scene of clashes between security forces and Kurdish rebels, who escalate their attacks in the summer months.

Report blames Israel’s Netanyahu for deadly fire JERUSALEM: A new report by Israel’s government watchdog blames Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials for mismanaging the worst fire in the country’s history, a devastating blaze that took 44 lives in 2010. State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss singled out Interior Minister Eli Yishai and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz for blame in managing the crisis, but said Netanyahu was responsible overall.

He described the 500-page report issued yesterday as “very painful” and accused the government of negligence and of unpreparedness. But he stopped short of calling for the removal of officials. The fire, which erupted in the country’s north, burned millions of trees, consuming houses and a nature reserve as it spread to the outskirts of Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city, on the Mediterranean coast.

Algerian police kill 6 militants in ambush ALGIERS: An Algerian security official says police, acting on a tip, ambushed a van carrying Islamist extremists, killing six east of the capital. Police opened fire on the van as it drove through the winding roads of the heavily forested Takhoukht valley Tuesday night, causing it to drive off the road. One militant was captured and two others escaped, added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. The ambush was arranged after a tip by local residents. It is part of a security sweep in the area following an attack Saturday night on a police station in a nearby village that killed two policemen. The attack took place in the Kabylie mountains, the last major stronghold of Al-Qaeda in Algeria.

Jordan passes reformed law for 2012 elections AMMAN: Jordan’s powerful Islamist opposition dismissed elections reforms yesterday as “cosmetic,” hours after the legislature passed the changes to govern a parliamentary vote scheduled for later this year. Street protesters had demanded changes to the previous law dating from 2001, which the Islamist opposition says favors pro-government candidates and produces docile legislatures. The new law passed late Tuesday gives a concession to the opposition by allowing each eligible voter two votes, compared with one under the previous system.

One vote goes to local candidates and the other to a 17-seat national list, giving country-wide ideological alliances like the Islamists a better chance to compete with region- or familybased politicians. But the opposition quickly said the changes were insufficient. “It is just a cosmetic change meant to buy time and it’s insufficient for real reforms,” said Hamza Mansour, leader of the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of Jordan’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood.

He said the law “still allows pro-government loyalists to win a majority in parliament, undercutting the people’s desire to become the real source of power in the country.” Mansour said his group favored the 1989 elections law, which allowed Jordanians multiple votes and saw his group winning almost half of the seats in the first elections in more than two decades.

He said the Islamic Action Front will soon debate if it will take part in the upcoming elections, which it boycotted for several years in protest against the previous law.

A final date for the vote has not yet been set. The new law also increased seats in the Chamber of Deputies from 120 to 140. Of the total, 15 seats were allocated to women under a state-proposed quota to encourage wider female participation in decision making. Jordanian security, including intelligence, army and police, are allowed for the first time to vote. The 2012 Electoral Law is part of a package of reforms in recent months that include the creation of an independent electoral commission to supervise the vote, taking over the responsibility from the Interior Ministry.

Other moves included a political parties’ law that encourages a multiparty system and a municipalities’ law that allows Jordanians to self-govern their towns by electing mayors and city council members. Jordan has weathered 17 months of street protests calling for a wider public say in politics, partially by curtailing the absolute powers of its ruler King Abdullah II. —AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Admin discipline recommended in Quran burning WASHINGTON: A US military investigation is recommending that as many as seven US troops face administrative punishments, but not criminal charges, in the burning of Qurans at a US base in Afghanistan in February, The Associated Press has learned. US military officials said the classified report and recommendations for disciplinary action against the service members involved were delivered to the Pentagon more than a week ago. They have been turned over to the Army and Navy secretaries. No final decisions have been made.

According to the officials, one Navy service member and as many as six Army soldiers could face nonjudicial

disciplinary actions, which can range from a letter in their file to docking their pay or assigning them additional duties. The lack of any criminal charges is in line with early assertions from military officials that the incident, while regrettable, was a mistake. But it is likely to anger Afghans who were enraged by the burning. Some took to the streets across the country in deadly riots after it happened.

The Qurans and other Islamic books were taken from the Parwan Detention Facility, and officials believed that extremists being detained there were using the texts to exchange messages.

The religious books and other materials were put in burn bags and then lat-

er thrown into a fire pit used to burn garbage at Bagram Air Field, a major US base north of Kabul. Military officials said the investigating officer in Afghanistan completed the report and recommended the disciplinary actions.

The report was approved by Marine Gen John Allen, the top US commander in Afghanistan, and forwarded to Pentagon. US military officials spoke about the report on condition of anonymity because the matter is classified and still under review.

Altogether, two Navy and nine Army service members in Afghanistan were sent back to the United States in conjunction with the Quran burning shortly after it happened. But, based

on the investigating officer’s report, several would not face any punishments. US officials have said that the service members did not know what they were throwing into the burn pit and that the books were pulled out by Afghan workers before they were destroyed. President Barack Obama apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the incident. Afghan officials, however, have claimed the burning was intentional, and it reinforced perceptions in the country that Americans are insensitive to the Afghans’ religion and culture.

A preliminary joint investigation into the matter - done by senior US and Afghan military officials - conclud-

ed in early March that while mistakes were made in the burnings, there was no intent to desecrate the Qurans or other religious materials.

But it has taken until now for the military to deliver the report and recommended punishments to senior Pentagon leaders for final action.

Typically, the service secretaries review the recommendations, then designate a military commander to take the appropriate action. It could take weeks for the process to unfold and for any final decisions to be made. The military usually does not publicly disclose details of administrative punishments.

Military officials said the Army soldiers are now at Fort Benning, Ga. — AP

Obama gets high marks on US national security Security record tough for Republican attack

PENNSYLVANIA: Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Cour thouse yesterday in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. —AFP

Sandusky defense tries to undercut McQueary BELLEFONTE: The defense in Jerry Sandusky’s child sex abuse trial sought to undercut testimony from a former graduate assistant who told jurors he saw the former Penn State assistant coach sexually abusing a boy inside a football facility shower. Dr Jonathan Dranov, a family friend of Mike McQueary, said yesterday that he spoke to McQueary the night McQuear y claimed to have seen Sandusky engaging in a sex act with a boy of about 10.

Dranov testified that McQueary described hearing “sexual sounds” and seeing a boy in the shower and an arm reach around him and pull him out of view. McQueary said he made eye-contact with the boy and Sandusky later emerged from the showers, Dranov said.

That account differs from what McQueary told a grand jury that investigated Sandusky and what he told jurors last week.

McQueary testified he saw Sandusky pressing a boy up against the wall inside the shower, and that he had no doubt he was witnessing anal sex. McQueary’s report to his superiors - and Penn State officials’ failure to go to outside law enforcement - is what ultimately led to the firing of longtime coach Joe Paterno.

Sandusky is charged with 51 criminal counts related to 10 boys over a 15-year span. He’s accused of engaging in abuse ranging from fondling to forced oral and anal sex, and he could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.

Sandusky has acknowledged showering with boys but says he didn’t molest them. Dranov told the jury that McQueary didn’t provide him with a graphic description of what he saw, but

described hearing sounds he considered sexual in nature. “It just seemed to make him upset so I backed off that,” Dranov said. When prosecutors asked Dranov to describe McQueary’s demeanor, he said the former Penn State starting quarterback was clearly upset. “His voice was trembling. His hands were shaking. He was visibly shaken,” Dranov said.

McQueary had testified earlier that he wasn’t “over-descriptive” in his conversation with Dranov, saying he told the doctor that what he saw was sexual, wrong and perverse. The morning also featured testimony from more defense character witnesses, including a couple of participants in Sandusky’s youth charity, The Second Mile. Prosecutors allege that Sandusky met his alleged victims through The Second Mile, which once was lauded for its efforts to help at-risk children.

One of the former Second Mile participants, David Hilton, said he felt like investigators were trying to coach him into accusing Sandusky. “When it got to the second or third time I felt like they wanted me to say something that isn’t true,” he said. The defense has sought to portray investigators as planting the seeds for accusations against Sandusky by sharing details of other alleged victims’ claims. Before the start of testimony yesterday, a female juror was excused for an illness and replaced by an alternate, also a woman.

Prosecutors rested their case Monday after presenting 21 witnesses, including eight who said they had been assaulted

by Sandusky. The identities of two other people prosecutors say were victims are unknown to investigators. — AP

Obama asserts executive privilege in Holder’s case WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama asserted executive privilege yesterday to withhold documents on a gun-smuggling probe, sharpening a battle between the White House and Congress over efforts to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt. The claim of executive privilege, announced in a letter from Holder ’s deputy to Representative Darrell Issa, came on the day Issa chaired a House deliberation on whether to hold Holder in contempt over failure to hand over sufficient documents related to a flawed program that saw guns knowingly smuggled across the border to Mexico.

The program called “Fast and Furious” was a botched government effort to track arms flows into Mexico, and Republicans have seized on trying to determine exactly when Holder knew of the program. “I write now to inform you that the president has asserted executive privilege over the relevant postFebruary 4, 2011, documents,” Deputy Attorney General James Cole wrote in a four-page letter to Issa, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. “We regret that we have arrived at this point, after the many steps we have taken to address the committee’s concerns and to accommodate the committee’s legitimate oversight interests regarding Operation Fast and Furious.” Holder had met Tuesday night

with Issa and the committee’s ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings, and offered to provide them a briefing on the matter and assurances that further documents would be provided. The offer was rejected by Issa, who had demanded the documents be handed over before the committee meeting, which began yesterday amid rising tensions over the probe. “We need the Department of Justice to cooperate,” Issa said in his opening remarks, in which he read parts of Holder’s letter describing the president’s exertion of executive privilege.

“Thus far the cooperation has not been forthcoming,” he added. Issa who has been criticized by Democrats for waging a witchhunt against Holder, insisted that “our purpose has never been to hold the attorney general in contempt,” but merely to “obtain the documents needed to do (the committee’s) work.” “If the Justice Department had delivered the documents they freely admitted they could deliver, we wouldn’t be here today,” he added. Cole wrote that the department has “provided the committee with over 7,600 pages of documents, and has made numerous high-level officials available for public congressional testimony, transcribed inter views, and briefings,” and that Holder has answered congressional questions about Fast and Furious during nine public hearings.” — AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s not-so-secret counterterrorism fight against Al-Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia, the killing of Osama bin Laden and strong hints of a cyber war against Iran give Republicans few openings to challenge the commander in chief. This aggressive national security policy has undercut the derisive label Republicans have successfully attached to Democrats in the past: the soft-on-defense Mommy Party.

It has been one of the most effective election-year cudgels for the Republican Party. Just eight years ago, President George W Bush capitalized on his tough response to the Sept 11 terrorist attacks and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein to win a second term. In a major assist to Bush’s candidacy, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth used debunked claims to undermine Democratic rival John Kerry’s decorated Vietnam War record and cast him as “unfit to serve.”

In the past 31/2 years, Obama has waged a secret campaign against Al-Qaeda in two countries one on the Arab peninsula, the other on Africa’s east coast. The White House officially acknowledged the lethal attacks in Yemen and Somalia in its semiannual report to Congress last Friday.

Navy SEALs took out bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011 while armed drones have pursued Al-Qaeda terrorists within the country, degrading the terrorist group.

In public opinion polls, Obama gets high marks for his record on national security, a stark contrast to his dismal numbers on handling the nation’s finances. An Associated Press-GfK poll conduct-

ed in May found that 64 percent approved of Obama’s handling of terrorism and 53 percent approved of the way he’s managing the situation in Afghanistan. By contrast, less than half approved of his handling of the economy (46 percent), unemployment (48 percent) or gas prices (30 percent).

Republicans, who have successfully pummeled Obama on the economy ahead of the November presidential election, have made little headway on national security.

“There’s nothing like success to quell criticism,” said Rep Gerald

cism. ... I think the Republicans are very hard-pressed to criticize that aspect of the president’s foreign policy.”

That hasn’t stopped Republicans from fixating on what they describe as major weaknesses in Obama’s national security policy.

Leaks of classified information, including reports of a computer attack that has infected Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, led Republicans to demand the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate. Republicans argue that the leaks were political-

LOS CABO: US President Barack Obama delivers remarks to the media at the close of the Los Cabos G-20 Summit at the Los Cabos Convention Center in San Jose del Cabo, BCS, Mexico. — AFP Connolly, a Virginia Democrat. “I ly driven to help Obama and have think the fact that there have been jeopardized national security. some successes, ranging from Democrats and the administration spectacular, Osama bin Laden, to have rejected those demands. the utter decapitation of Al-Qaeda Attorney General Eric Holder to the disruption of violent insur- instead has appointed US gencies in Yemen, Somalia ... west- Attorneys Ron Machen and Rod ern parts of Pakistan has done Rosenstein to oversee the investimuch to quiet some of that criti- gation into who leaked informa-

Up to 27 million ‘living in slavery’ WASHINGTON: Up to 27 million people are living in slavery around the world, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton estimated Tuesday as the US unveiled its annual report into human trafficking. But the report showed that as governments become more aware of the issue, instigating tough new laws and programs to help victims, progress is being made in wiping out what it called the “scourge of trafficking.” “The end of legal slavery in the United States and in other countries around the world has not, unfortunately, meant the end of slavery,” said Clinton.

“Today it is estimated as many as 27 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery, what we sometimes call trafficking in persons,” she said at the unveiling of the report at the State Department. “Those victims of modern slavery are women and men, girls and boys, and their stories remind us of the kind of inhumane treatment we are capable of as human beings,” said Clinton. “Whatever their background, they are the living, breathing reminders that the work to eradicate slavery remains unfinished.”

As America prepares to mark the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the emancipation of US slaves, people must reflect on “how much further we have to go to free all these 27 million victims,” Clinton added. Out of the 185 countries included in the 2012 report, only 33 complied fully with laws in place to end human trafficking, putting them at the top of a four-tier ranking system.

But five countries had moved up from the bottom blacklist known as tier 3, including Myanmar and Venezuela, to be included among the 42 countries now on what is known as a tier 2 watchlist.

Myanmar was removed from the blacklist because the government “took a number of unprecedented steps to address forced labor and the conscription of child soldiers; these steps amount to a credible commitment to undertake anti-trafficking reforms over the coming year,” the report said. Syria however fell

onto the blacklist for the first time, in a move which could cut off any US aid and make it harder to get US backing for funds from organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

“The government of Syria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so,” the 2012 Trafficking in Persons report said. Among the 16 other countries on the blacklist were Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, North Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Kenya slipped down onto the watchlist for the first time in five years, while Nigeria lost its place on tier 1, moving down a notch as the report highlighted that women and children were forced into labor and sex trafficking. But Clinton hailed the fact that a total of 29 countries had been upgraded to a higher ranking, “which means that their governments are taking the right steps.” They included Bangladesh, which was bumped up to tier two for making significant efforts to comply with minimum standards, including passing “a comprehensive anti-trafficking law” in December. — AFP

MEXICO CITY: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attends a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during the G20 Summit, Monday. —AP

tion about US involvement in cyberattacks on Iran and an AlQaeda plot to place an explosive device aboard a US-bound flight.

“Considering how closely in time these items were published and how favorable of an impression they left about the president’s approach to national security, it is not unreasonable to ask whether these leaks were part of a broader effort to paint President Obama, in the midst of an election year, as a strong leader on national security issues,” Sen. John McCain, Obama’s 2008 presidential rival, said Tuesday in a blistering Senate floor speech.

The Arizona lawmaker, who is the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, has called the leaks “almost unprecedented” and insisted last week that he couldn’t think of “any time that I have seen such breaches of ongoing national security programs as has been the case here.” Sen Roy Blunt, also a Republican, told reporters Tuesday that the leaks “create a lack of confidence on the part of people around the world” who are cooperating with the United States.

Hardly, say Democrats.

Rep Adam Smith of Washington state, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said there is not “one shred of evidence” that individuals around Obama leaked information to enhance the president’s reputation. “They’re (Republicans) just blankly asserting it and hoping it sticks. And the reason they’re hoping it sticks is because the president has a very strong record on national security,” Smith said in an interview. — AP

News

in brief

Atlas V rocket launched WASHINGTON: The US military launched an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral yesterday carrying a top secret satellite into space, officials said. The Atlas V lifted off at 8:28 am local time with a NROL38 payload on board for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the US intelligence agency that oversees spy satellites. Details of the NROL-38 remained classified but according to a specialist website, Nasaspaceflight.com, it was likely a new communications satellite, the 18th military satellite of that type. Yesterday’s launch of the NROL-38 is the second of four scheduled for the NRO, according to United Launch Alliance, a joint venture owned by Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Ex-security chief charged WASHINGTON: A former head of security for former president Alvaro Uribe of Colombia has been indicted here on charges of taking bribes and passing information to drug traffickers. The indictment charges that retired Colombian police general Mauricio Santoyo Velasco received the bribes in exchange for help with drug shipments between 2000 and 2008. He is also alleged to have passed on information to paramilitary groups and drug cartels about investigations involving them in Colombia, the United States and Britain. Santoyo, who was Uribe’s head of security from 2000 to 2006, allegedly conspired with the United SelfDefense of Colombia, a rightwing paramilitary group, and the Officina de Envigado drug cartel.

The indictment was unsealed June 13, and obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

New ads target Romney WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign is running new television ads targeting Republican rival Mitt Romney’s record as Massachusetts governor. In an ad titled “Mosaic”, the Obama team contends that Romney raised more than 1,000 taxes while running Massachusetts. The ad says Romney’s fee hikes totaled $1.5 billion. A second ad titled “Come and Go” seeks to link Romney’s record in the private sector with his tenure as governor. The ad says that in both roles, Romney moved jobs overseas and implies he may do the same as president. Romney’s campaign calls the ads “misleading” and an attempt to distract from Obama’s “failed policies.” The ads are running in nine battleground states, including Florida and Ohio.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Violence in northern Nigeria kills at least 80 KADUNA/ABUJA: At least 80 people have been killed since Monday in clashes in northern Nigeria triggered

by Islamists waging an insurgency against the government, figures from police and the Red Cross showed yesterday. The violence - some of which was sparked by church bombings over the last three Sundays - has heightened sectarian tensions in Africa’s most populous country, which is evenly split between Christians and Muslims.

Boko Haram insurgents waged gun battles with security forces in the remote northeastern city of Damaturu,

near the radical sect’s heartland, throughout Tuesday, police chief for the surrounding Yobe state Patrick Egbuniwe told Reuters. He said 40 people were killed, 34 insurgents and six security personnel. In separate clashes between Muslim and Christian residents of the northern city of Kaduna on Tuesday, at least 40 people were killed and 62 wounded, according to local Red Cross official Awwal Sani. His organisation was helping collect bodies and treat the wounded, following riots in which Muslim youths fired AK-47 rifles, burned tyres and destroyed a church in Kaduna. The

riots came two days after after Christian youths went on the rampage, killing 52 people in the city, itself retaliation for the bombing of three churches by suspected Islamists on Sundat that killed 19 people.

Residents said the violence in both cities, hundreds of kilometres (miles) apart, had died down yesterday.

“Damaturu is calm this morning. Four policemen are receiving treatment for gun shot (wounds),” police chief Egbuniwe said. “ We made seven arrests and they are with the criminal investigation department.”

Pope Benedict repeated his con-

cerns about the sectarian killings, using his weekly general audience yesterday to appeal for an immediate end to “terrorist attacks” against Christians and urging all sides to avoid reprisals.

Boko Haram says it is fighting to reinstate an ancient Islamic caliphate in the north of Africa’s top oil producer that would impose strict sharia or Islamic law. The insurgents have killed hundreds since they launched an uprising in 2009. They mostly target security forces or authority figures but in the past year have turned their sites on Christian worshippers, attacking churches in an apparent attempt to

stoke a wider sectarian conflict.

In November, 65 people were killed in attacks claimed by Boko Haram on churches, mosques and police stations in Damaturu, where security forces often clash with Islamists in gun battles. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for church attacks on the first two Sundays of this month but has yet to do so for the most recent. Muslims and Christians that make up most of Nigeria’s 160-million population mostly live side by side in peace, but there have been occasional bouts of sectarian violence since independence from Britain in 1960.—Reuters

Assange plot thickens as police say he faces arrest WikiLeaks founder in breach of bail terms

OXFORD: In a handout picture released by Oxford University yesterday shows Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi posing for pictures as she signs the book in the Divinity School of the Bodleian Library after receiving an honorary degree at Oxford University in Oxford, northwest of London yesterday.—AFP

Emotional Suu Kyi honored in British city she called home OXFORD: Aung San Suu Kyi said she was deeply moved yesterday as she was honoured by Oxford University, in the city where she studied and brought up the family she would later leave behind. The Myanmar democracy icon also called on the prestigious seat of learning to help educate a new generation of students that could lead the Southeast Asian country along the road from military rule to democracy. “Today has been very moving,” Suu Kyi, 67, said in a speech after she was presented with an honorary doctorate in civil law in the grand surroundings of Oxford’s 17th century Sheldonian Theatre. “During those difficult years I spent under house arrest I was upheld by my memories of Oxford. They helped me cope with the challenges I had to face,” she said.

Wearing a traditional longyi skirt under her scarlet academic robes, and flowers in her hair beneath her black velvet cap, Suu Kyi smiled as she received a scroll from university chancellor Chris Patten, the former governor of Hong Kong. After her speech she received a standing ovation from an audience of more than 1,000 dons and students from the university where she studied politics, philosophy and economics in the mid-1960s.

Patten said, in Latin: “Unbowed champion of liberty, who have given your people and the whole world an example of courage and endurance, I on my own authority and that of the whole university admit you to the honorary degree of doctor of civil law.” Suu Kyi spent nearly two decades in Oxford, and brought up her sons Alexander and Kim there with her English husband, Michael Aris. When she left for her homeland to care for her dying mother in 1988, she could not have imagined it would be nearly a quarter of a century before she would return.

As leader of the country’s democracy movement, she refused to leave Myanmar, fearing that the military leaders would prevent her from returning. As a result, she only saw her husband and two sons a

handful of times in the intervening years.

When her husband was dying in 1999 he urged her to remain in Myanmar and pursue her struggle. She was released from house arrest in November 2010 and is now a member of parliament.

“The road ahead is not going to be easy, but Oxford, I know, expects the best of its own,” she said in her speech. “And today, because they have recognized me as one of their own, I have been strengthened to go forward to give my very best in meeting the many challenges that lie ahead.” She said she wanted to see universities in Myanmar restored to the way they were before they suffered under the military junta.

“I would be very grateful if my old university, the University of Oxford, could help to bring this about again,” she said.

Receiving the honorary doctorate was one of the highlights of her week-long trip to Britain, part of her first visit to Europe since 1988. On her 67th birthday on Tuesday, she made an emotional return to Oxford. Her former college St Hugh’s threw a birthday party and onlookers shouted “welcome back” as she arrived. Today she will address both houses of the British parliament-a rare honour bestowed on only four foreign dignitaries since World War II. In an interview with BBC television yesterday, she confirmed her desire to lead the people of Myanmar “if I can lead them in the right way”. She rejected the suggestion that her release from more than two decades of house arrest in 2010 had been a “confidence trick” aimed at getting sanctions on the country lifted. She also warned foreign companies rushing to invest in Myanmar since the military-backed civilian government began to implement reforms that they would be closely watched.

Her visit to Britain has been clouded by continued violence in western Myanmar where dozens of people have been killed and an estimated 90,000 people have fled clashes between Buddhist Rakhines and stateless Muslim Rohingya.—AFP

LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, seeking political asylum in Ecuador’s embassy in London, faces arrest if he emerges for breaching bail terms imposed while he battles attempts to extradite him to Sweden, British police said yesterday. A dozen supporters bearing placards declaring “Free Assange” gathered outside the fivestorey red-brick building in the upmarket district of Knightsbridge where Assange sought refuge on Tuesday, causing Britain a legal and diplomatic headache.

Assange’s 11th-hour decision to seek refuge in the embassy was more reminiscent of Cold War-era episodes seen in authoritarian countries than of the British legal process. Swedish prosecutors want to question Assange about allegations of sexual assault made by two women, which he denies. The justice ministry in Stockholm said yesterday it expected Britain to extradite Assange, but authorities in London said he was beyond the police’s reach in the Ecuadorean embassy.

Ecuador said Assange had accused his native Australia of abandoning him and expressed fears that if sent to Sweden he would be extradited onwards to the United States where he believes he could face criminal charges punishable by death. Assange’s website, WikiLeaks, angered Washington in 2010 by publishing secret US diplomatic cables.

“I genuinely believe, and I know him well, that he fears for his life,” said Vaughan Smith, founder of a now defunct TV news agency, who hosted Assange at his country mansion for 13 months after the Australian was freed on bail in December 2010. “He fears that if he goes to Sweden he’ll be sent to America and you only have to look at the treatment of Bradley Manning by the Americans to fell that he’s right to be fearful,” Smith told the BBC. Manning, the US intelligence analyst accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of government files to Wikileaks, faces a court-mar-

LONDON: Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange rally with placards outside Ecuador’s embassy in central London yesterday, where Assange is seeking political asylum as he fights extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes.—AFP tial in September at which he could be jailed for life. Beyond the political calculations, at stake is a 240,000-pound ($377,100) deposit provided by Assange’s supporters, including a number of celebrities, to secure his bail. Asked via Twitter

by Britain’s Guardian newspaper whether she was on the hook, socialite Jemima Khan tweeted back: “Yes. I had expected him to face the allegations. I am as surprised as anyone by this.” Khan declined to say how much she had paid.

Authorities in Quito, who had briefly offered Assange residency at the height of the WikiLeaks furore in November 2010 before backing off, are considering his asylum request. It was not clear whether Assange’s decision to appeal to Ecuador was connected to a recent interview he conducted with the South American country’s leftist President Rafael Correa on Russia Today, a Kremlin-sponsored English-language TV channel.

“Cheer up. Welcome to the club

of the persecuted,” Correa told Assange at the end of the interview, which was conducted by video-link between Britain and Ecuador and posted on YouTube by Russia Today on May 22. The two men appeared to hit it off during the 25-minute interview, exchanging flattering comments and laughing at each other’s jokes. Assange expressed sympathy with Correa’s battle against his country’s media viewed by Human Rights Watch as a serious threat to free speech - and praised him for getting more done for his country than President Barack Obama was achieving for the United States.

In London, a crowd of television crews and reporters were stationed in front of the Ecuadorean embassy but there was no sighting of Assange, whose distinctive whiteblond hair has helped make him instantly recognisable around the world. Neither US nor Swedish authorities have charged Assange with anything. Swedish prosecutors want to question him about allega-

Power struggle in Uganda amid Museveni speculation

Rwandan general testifies over shooting: South Africa JOHANNESBURG: An exiled Rwandan general, testifying under oath in South Africa yesterday, described fearing he would become a political prisoner in his homeland and fleeing to Johannesburg, where he was shot. Gen Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa’s testimony brought East Africa’s fractious politics to South Africa, where he is a witness in the case against three Rwandans and three Tanzanians accused of trying to kill him in Johannesburg in 2010.

Rwandan authorities have repeatedly denied involvement in the shooting, and hired South African lawyer Gerhard van der Merwe to monitor proceedings.

Since coming to South Africa in 2010, Nyamwasa, a former Rwandan military chief, has accused Rwandan President Paul Kagame of crushing dissent and trampling on democracy after the two worked together to end the 1994 genocide that left more than 500,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead in Rwanda. Rwandans in exile have accused Kagame of using his agents to hunt down his external foes, and foreign governments have raised similar concerns.

In Rwanda last year, a military court convicted Nyamwasa and three other dissidents in absentia and sentenced them to 20 years in prison for threatening state security and on other charges they deny.

Questions also have been raised about Nyamwasa’s conduct when he was close to

Kagame. Nyamwasa and other senior Tutsis are accused of waging an extermination campaign against Hutus in the chaotic aftermath of Rwanda’s genocide - charges Nyamwasa denies.

Soon after Nyamwasa began testifying, standing in a gray suit and speaking in a soft, steady voice, prosecutor Shaun Abrahams told the court he wanted Nyamwasa to describe his background.

Van der Merwe, Rwanda’s lawyer, interrupted to say that could lead to speculation about government involvement. “The consequences in doing that could be severe,” van der Merwe said. Magistrate Stanley Mkhari dismissed the objections, and ordered van der Merwe to remain only a silent observer for rest of the case because “the government of Rwanda is not a party to the process.” Resuming his testimony, Nyamwasa described being born and raised in a marginalized Rwandan community in Uganda, which borders Rwanda.

Nyamwasa earned a law degree from Uganda’s prestigious Makere University.

Nyamwasa said he joined then-Ugandan opposition leader Yoweri Museveni’s rebel movement in the 1980s in part in hopes of improving the lives of Rwandans in Uganda and in Rwanda. When Museveni took power, Nyamwasa rose in Ugandan army ranks and joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front, founded in Uganda in 1987.—AP

tions of rape and sexual assault made by two women, former WikiLeaks volunteers, in 2010.

Assange says he had consensual sex with the women.

The former computer hacker, whose unpredictable behaviour and love of the limelight has cost him the support of many former friends and colleagues, lost a long-running legal battle last week to avoid extradition from Britain to Sweden. Having exhausted all possible avenues offered by the British cour ts, Assange’s only option to keep fighting would have been an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. However, his flight to the Ecuadorean embassy complicates his situation. “He has breached one of his bail conditions which was to be at his bail address between 10pm and 8am every day ... He is subject to arrest under the Bail Ac t,” said a spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police.—Reuters

MOSCOW: Maria Alekhina, a member of the feminist punk band, Pussy Riot, in a cage in a district court in Moscow yesterday.—AP

Court extends jail time for anti-Putin rockers MOSCOW: A court ruled yesterday that three members of a punk band who stormed the pulpit of Moscow’s main Orthodox church and asked for Russia to be freed from Vladimir Putin will remain in jail until next month. The Pussy Riot members were arrested in March for the unauthorized performance after briefly chanting “Mother Mary, drive Putin away” while clad in brightly colored homemade ski masks and miniskirts in Christ the Savior Cathedral in February. They face up to seven years in jail on hooliganism charges.

Tagansky district court judge ruled yesterday that Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, Maria Alekhina, 24, and 29-year-old Yekaterina Samutsevich will remain in detention until July 24, after an investigator petitioned to keep them in prison while the police investigation continues. Their cause and the Russian Orthodox Church’s harsh response have provoked public outcry. Outside the court building, police detained at least five people as

dozens of the band’s supporters whistled in unison, chanted anti-Kremlin slogans and clashed with Orthodox activists who called on the band members “to repent.”

Pussy Riot gained notoriety in January for performing a song taunting Putin - then prime minister - from a spot on Red Square used in czarist Russia for announcing government decrees. Video of their performances became instant Internet hits. The band’s unauthorized “punk prayer” took place two weeks before March’s presidential vote in which Putin won a third presidential term despite a wave of massive protests against his rule. The church says the women deserve to be prosecuted for their “blasphemous” performance from a place near the altar that no lay persons are allowed to enter, although thousands of believers have signed a petition urging the church to forgive the band. Attorneys for the band members argued that they should be released because they have young children. —AP

KAMPALA: The party of Uganda’s long-serving ruler appears to have split up into rival factions jostling for power in anticipation of the president’s possible exit, officials and analysts said yesterday. They predicted an all-out power struggle that could pit the country’s prime minister against its first lady.

President Yoweri Museveni called an emergency meeting of top party officials on Tuesday after his party’s defeat last week in a parliamentary by-election widely seen as a test of his popularity a year after he won re-election. The loss came despite Museveni’s physical presence in the contested region of western Uganda, historically his core base.

Museveni, a former bush fighter who captured power by force in 1986, has not said if he will run again when his current term expires in 2016, although some party officials believe he is considering retirement in the face of growing opposition to his rule. Museveni, who is 68 according to his official biography, recently said he would quit power by the time he reaches his mid-70s, setting off loud speculation across Uganda about his likely successor.

There appear to be two top contenders waiting in the wings: First lady Janet Museveni, an ambitious minister believed by some to be Museveni’s favored successor; and Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, a seasoned politician who has made it clear he wishes to be the next president.

Parliamentarian David Bahati, the ruling party’s chief whip, denied his organization had splintered into two camps, saying they were merely going through a “critical debate” that will leave the party stronger.

Uganda’s political scene is driven largely by men who dominate their organizations and who can seem more popular than their ideas. Museveni’s aides have built his appeal around the notion that he saved Uganda from cruel dictators, an image that traditionally resonates in villages such as the one where his party was defeated last week. The loss, seen by many analysts as a sign of Museveni’s fading luster, appears to have opened up new fault lines delineated by ambitious politicians building their own power bases.

“The problem is the people who have personalized the party and want to own everything,” said Okot Ogong, a party member and lawmaker with a reputation for independence, without mentioning names. “They feel that they are more important than the party.” Museveni has long been accused of practicing nepotism, having once given his brother and then his wife Cabinet positions. His son, an army colonel, heads the Ugandan military’s most elite unit and is in charge of his father’s security detail. —AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Pakistan nabs French man with reported 9/11 links ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has arrested a French man reportedly linked to one of the masterminds of the Sept 11 terrorist attack, officials said yesterday, a reminder of the country’s vital role in the war on international jihadist groups at a time of deteriorating relations with the US The arrest shows the additional challenges facing a country already trying to salvage its stumbling economy and pull itself out of a deepening political crisis. Following a Supreme Court decision Tuesday disqualifying the prime minister over a corruption probe, the president has called for parliament to elect a new premier on Friday.

The French national Naamen Meziche was captured in a raid in the Baluchistan region near the border with Iran, officials said, without specifying when this took place. Western media reports have described Meziche as an Al-Qaeda operative with links to European jihadist groups. He was believed to have been living in either Pakistan or Iran. CNN and the Wall Street Journal have

reported Meziche was a friend of Mohammed Atta, who piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center. Meziche does not appear to have had any operational role in the attacks.

The officials did not give their names in keeping with the policy of the Pakistani security forces. The officials said Meziche was a close associate of Younis Al-Mauritani, whom Pakistani security forces arrested last year in a joint operation with the CIA. That arrest also took place in Baluchistan. US officials said alMauritani was believed to have been plotting attacks in Europe.

A senior Pakistan security official said AlMauritani’s interrogation led officials to Meziche. He was arrested while trying to flee the country, likely on his way to Somalia, said the official. If Meziche is found to have broken the law in Pakistan, he would be charged and tried inside the country, the official said.

Otherwise, he would be deported to France.

Baluchistan also borders Afghanistan to the northeast and has been a hotbed of militant activity. The arrest highlights the Pakistani security forces’ key role in the anti-Al-Qaeda campaign, even as the US and Pakistan are going through a rocky period. The US raid on the Pakistan city of Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden last year raised questions about whether Pakistani security officials at some level knew of the Al-Qaeda leader’s presence. The raid infuriated the Pakistani military because it was not told about it ahead of time and were powerless to stop it.

Then in November, US forces accidentally killed 24 Pakistani border troops. Pakistan closed supply lines to American and NATO forces in Afghanistan and is demanding an apology from the US The US has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to go after militant groups. During a June 7 visit to Kabul, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the US was losing patience with Pakistan over its failure to go after the Haqqani

network, considered one of the most dangerous groups in Afghanistan.

Pakistan says the US does not recognize the price it’s paid for taking on militant groups, a battle that has killed tens of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces. Many analysts believe Pakistan is reluctant to target militants who could be useful allies in Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw.

Yesterday, Pakistan’s president summoned parliament to meet Friday to elect a new prime minister.

The Supreme Court dismissed Yousuf Raza Gilani along with his Cabinet on Tuesday for his failure to investigate his ally President Asif Ali Zardari for corruption, adding more political instability in a country already saddled with serious economic and security problems. In moving quickly to install a new premier and not defying the court order as some had predicted - the government may reduce fears of major upheaval.—AP

Taleban suicide attack kills 21 NATO soldiers among dead

KARACHI: Supporters of former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) offer sweets while they celebrate following yesterday’s verdict against Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, in Karachi yesterday.—AFP

Pakistan president summons parliament to elect new PM ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s president yesterday summoned MPs to elect a new prime minister, signalling a swift resolution of a political crisis sparked by the Supreme Court’s dismissal of Yousuf Raza Gilani. Asif Ali Zardari has spent two days locked in crisis talks with allies to select a consensus candidate and ultra-loyalist to take on the premiership after the court dumped Gilani after convicting him of contempt on April 26.

The nuclear-armed country-facing a Taleban insurgency and subject to US wrath over havens for Al-Qaeda-linked militants fighting the Americans in Afghanistan-has been plunged into political chaos by Tuesday’s court ruling. Gilani, who became prime minister following the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) election win in 2008, was dismissed after being convicted for refusing to ask Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.

He has moved out of the prime minister’s house, as Zardari led intense horse trading in order to set up a new executive and stave off early general elections. Zardari chaired talks overnight with coalition leaders and was to meet PPP MPs later yesterday, when officials had said he hoped to finalise the nomination. Textiles minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Ahmed Mukhtar, minister for water and power, are believed to be the two strongest candidates.

The presidency announced that Zardari had summoned the lower house of parliament to meet at 5:30 pm on Friday. “The leader of the house (prime minister) will be elected in the new session of the national assembly,” Zardari aide Qamar Zaman Kaira told AFP. Gilani’s lawyer and PPP member Aitzaz Ahsan said the new prime minister would be “a nice person and loyal to the party”.

He confirmed the new premier will immediately face court demands to write to the Swiss, which is why analysts say Zardari will only countenance a loyalist and someone from Punjab province who can compliment his own powerbase in the south.

Washington, which has a troubled anti-terror alliance with Islamabad, has called on Pakistan to resolve the crisis in accordance with the constitution.

The turmoil is unlikely to hasten a deal on end-

ing Pakistan’s seven-month blockade on NATO supplies into Afghanistan, which has infuriated NATO and forced the United States to source more expensive routes through central Asia. In Pakistan, there has been criticism of the judges’ interference but other analysts have pointed out that the change of prime minister will have little tangible effect on policy or the longevity of the government.

The News urged Zardari to act quickly to find a cabinet capable of dealing with the huge problems facing ordinary Pakistanis-crushing power cuts, rioting, violence, inflation and insecurity.

“Contrary to the claims by many, the ouster of the prime minister and his cabinet has not shaken the democratic system. Parliament is intact and a new leader of the house may soon be in place,” said the English-language daily. Gilani’s disqualification was the culmination of a showdown between the judiciary led by a popular chief justice, and a weak, ineffective government that critics say has been politicised at best, or vendetta-driven at worst.

Zardari prevaricated for months on restoring the independent judiciary after the PPP won general elections in February 2008, only doing so in March 2009 to stave off a threatened opposition march on Islamabad. In December 2009, the Supreme Court annulled a controversial amnesty that had allowed Zardari and his late wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, back into politics in exchange for a moratorium on corruption cases.

But the government refused to request the Swiss reopen investigations. The court’s patience ran out and on April 26 it convicted Gilani of contempt. Gilani always insisted Zardari had immunity as head of state and that writing to the Swiss would be a violation of Pakistan’s constitution. PPP supporters accuse the court, in collusion with the army and the opposition, of trying to bring down Zardari before February 2013, when the administration would become the first in Pakistan to complete a full five-year term. The cases against Zardari date to the 1990s, when he and his late wife are suspected of using Swiss banks to launder $12 million allegedly paid in bribes by companies seeking customs contracts. The Swiss shelved the cases in 2008 when Zardari became president.— AFP

KABUL: Afghan refugees sit at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registration center on the outskirts of Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday, as they prepare to return to their home country after fleeing civil war and Taleban rule. World Refugee Day, a day initiated by the United Nations to raise awareness on the plight of refugees worldwide, is observed on June 20 every year. —AP

GARDEZ: A Taleban suicide bomber on a motorbike rammed an Afghan-NATO patrol in the town of Khost yesterday, killing 21 people, including three NATO soldiers, officials said. Another 37 people were wounded in the blast in the eastern town close to the border with Pakistan, where Taleban and other Islamist insurgents fighting USled troops have strongholds, hospital officials said.

It was the second major attack on NATO in Khost in three weeks. The government blamed the Taleban and a spokesman for the insurgent militia later claimed responsibility for the attack. The bombing will only heighten fears about security as NATO prepares to hand responsibility to Afghan forces and recall the vast majority of its 130,000 combat troops by the end of 2014.

The Taleban , leading a 10-year insurgency against the Western-backed government, have begun their annual fighting season with a series of attacks that forced US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to admit that violence was rising.

Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said yesterday’s blast targeted a combined Afghan and coalition patrol passing through Khost, one of the most troubled parts of Afghanistan. Khost shares a porous border with Pakistan’s tribal belt, which lies outside government control, and where US officials say the Taleban and AlQaeda have carved out bases for operations in Afghanistan.

The Haqqani network, a militant group close to Al-Qaeda and blamed for some of the most daring insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, is particularly active in the province. Amir Padsha, the director of Khost city hospital, said the bodies of three police officers and eight civilians, along with 17 wounded were brought in.

Babri Gul, the head of the Babri Gul private hospital in Khost, said he had received six bodies, including four members of the same family, and 20 wounded. The US embassy in Kabul released a statement con-

firming that three members of the US-led NATO mission and an Afghan interpreter were killed. An ISAF official told AFP the three personnel were soldiers. Afghan police and interior ministry officials confirmed that the four dead announced by the Americans were in addition to the 17 Afghan bodies taken to local hospitals.

A Taleban spokesman told AFP by telephone that one of its fighters blew himself up alongside a US military patrol in Khost, killing 10 American soldiers, including a translator, and four Afghan policemen. The militia are known to exaggerate their claims and did not speak about civilian deaths. In Khost on June 1, a suicide truck bomber targeted a US-run base in an incident that killed up to 15 people. US media reported that more than 100 American troops were treated for injuries after that blast.

For the past five years the number of civilians killed in the war has risen steadily,

reaching a record 3,021 in 2011 — the vast majority caused by insurgents, according to UN figures. The US-led NATO force is also responsible for hundreds of civilian casualties every year, mostly in air strikes aimed at insurgents in Afghan villages. In southern Afghanistan, a roadside bomb attack killed at least six civilians, including women and children travelling on a tractor in Puli Alam, the capital of Logar province, deputy provincial police chief Rahis Khan Sadiq told AFP. “Four children and two women were killed and four others were wounded,” he said. On Tuesday, Taleban suicide attackers struck two Afghan-NATO facilities in the southern province of Kandahar-the birthplace of the extremist movement and the heartland of its insurgency. The Taleban have waged a bloody fight against Karzai’s administration since they were ousted from power in a US-led invasion in 2001. — AFP

HERAT: Seven suspected Taleban insurgents are shown to the media in Herat, west of Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday. — AP

US, Pakistan and never having to say you’re sorry WASHINGTON: The Pakistani government says it wants an apology from the United States in order to jump-start a number of initiatives between the two countries that would help the hunt for Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and smooth the end of the war in Afghanistan. Pakistan wants the US to apologize for a border incident in November 2011 in which the US killed 24 Pakistani troops in an airstrike. The US has expressed regret for the incident, a diplomatic step removed from an apology, and said it was a tragic case of mistaken identity, in which each side mistook the other for militants and both sides erroneously fired on the other.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton even explored the possibilities of an apology with a Pakistani diplomat in a London meeting but then backed off when the Pakistanis insisted the apology be timed for maximum political impact. The Pakistanis have put the apology at the top of a long list of demands to address what they see as insults to national pride and sovereignty - from the Navy SEAL raid onto Pakistani territory last year that killed Osama bin Laden to the steady US drone strikes on Pakistani territory. A lot of these demands are now up in the air with the news Tuesday that Pakistan’s high court had dismissed the prime minister, a move that could usher in months of turmoil in the country’s government.

From the US point of view, Pakistan has not done enough to stop attacks on US troops carried out by the Taliban and members of the Haqqani clan who shelter in Pakistan’s tribal areas. So the two nominal allies are at a standoff. A look at what that means for the war and counterterrorism efforts:

airstrike, Pakistan has closed that route, and supplies to US and NATO troops have been taking a northern route that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says is costing an extra $100 million a month now and could grow as the US starts to withdraw equipment in advance of the 2014 troop drawdown in Afghanistan. Negotiations have stalled over reopening the routes, mostly over the apology, and it’s clear the Pakistanis plan to charge double or more to use their route if they reopen it.

SUPPLY ROUTES Pakistan shut its borders to NATO resupply convoys heading to Afghanistan because of the deadly November incident.

The US and NATO had been trucking supplies in and out of the Afghan war zone from the Pakistani port of Karachi. The Pakistanis charged the US $500 per truck.

Because the US has not apologized for the

KABUL: This is an undated file photo of AlQaeda leader Osama bin Laden, in Afghanistan. Say you’re sorry. That’s what the Pakistani government says it wants from the United States in order to jumpstart a number of initiatives between the two countries that would help the hunt for Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and smooth the end of the war in Afghanistan. — AP

MILITARY AID For the Pakistanis, the impasse over the apology means other longstanding issues cannot be resolved, like the resumption of all US security aid to Pakistan. Pakistan still receives roughly $1.2 billion in annual security assistance, but last summer the US halted or suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid - and reimbursements to

Pakistan for helping secure Afghanistan’s border - over another dispute. That one was over Pakistan’s irritation that the US didn’t brief its leaders before launching the successful raid against bin Laden, who had been living for some time in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbotabad. In retaliation, Pakistan expelled US military trainers, and the US cut off some aid.

INTELLIGENCE SHARING Fewer US and Pakistani military officers are sharing training or intelligence. They previously jointly operated mobile US intelligence centers throughout the Pakistani tribal areas, monitoring together information coming from US drones, which helped Pakistani troops track militants bent on killing inside Pakistan. Now unilateral US drone strikes continue to bite at Al-Qaeda targets, with a recent strike killing Al-Qaeda deputy Abu Yahya al-Libi, while Pakistan is on its own when it comes to hunting the branch of the Taliban that sends suicide bombers to hit Pakistani military and civilian targets. Joint US -Pakistani efforts at one time helped take down dozens of targets that were dangerous to both sides, including mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

CIA OPERATIONS CIA officers once were able to roam fairly freely, often working together with Pakistan’s intelligence operatives to go after targets in joint raids. Now, CIA officers are closely tracked and often harassed, and the Pakistani intelligence chief, who had been invited by the CIA, postponed his scheduled visit last month to the US. The bitterness has taken on a personal tone. President Barack Obama kept Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari waiting in a hallway at the NATO summit in Chicago and had him meet with Clinton instead of a leader-toleader meeting. And Panetta, during a visit to Pakistan’s arch rival, India, made a joke before an Indian audience about keeping the Pakistani government in the dark over the bin Laden raid. — AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Diplomatic tug-of-war over Frenchman in China scandal PHNOM PENH: Cambodia was at the centre of a diplomatic tug-of-war between Paris and Beijing yesterday over the arrest of a Frenchman linked to China’s biggest political scandal in decades. Beijing has requested the extradition of 52-year-old architect Patrick Devillers, who was arrested in Phnom Penh on June 13 for committing unspecified offences in China.

Devillers is understood to have been a close business associate and friend of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai and his wife Gu Kailai.

Bo, the former leader of the southwestern Chinese megacity of Chongqing, is being probed for corruption while Gu has been detained for suspected involvement in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood last year. But after France yesterday warned Cambodia not to take any action without a clear legal basis, Phnom Penh promised not to

send Devillers to China unless Beijing provides evidence to support its extradition request.

“In Cambodia he did not commit any wrongdoing,” interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak told AFP. “If there is no clear evidence he will be freed.” China and Cambodia have an extradition treaty but Khieu Sopheak said no decision had been made about the Frenchman, adding that Cambodia was also consulting French authorities on the matter. “We are waiting for evidence from the party that requested his arrest... We need evidence from China,” he said. “We can hold him for 60 days.”

Devillers’ connection to the Bo family drama remains unclear but in an interview with French daily Le Monde last month he denied allegations of any wrongdoing. Neighbors and friends in Phnom Penh spoke fondly of long-time resident Devillers, although

they said he had not been seen much in recent weeks. “He was probably keeping a low profile because he saw the storm coming,” said an acquaintance who did not wish to be named.

“I strongly doubt whether that storm is justified. I see Patrick as a subtle, almost poetic, creative person who found himself caught in a Chinese tangle because of his enthusiasm.” A security guard who works at a furniture store opposite Devillers’ two-storey house described seeing two vehicles carrying five police officers and two foreigners drive up to the property about two weeks ago. “I saw that they took him away,” the 18-year-old said, adding that Devillers was not handcuffed. “That was the last time I saw him.”

The woman who runs the furniture store told AFP that Devillers had lived in the neighborhood for around five years and did architectural design

work. “He’s a good man. He always respects the neighbours,” she said, declining to be named. “He told me that he lived in China for many years.

He speaks Chinese well.” A police source told AFP that Devillers was being held at Phnom Penh’s immigration department.

His elderly father Michel Devillers told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph from his home in France that his son’s arrest had come as a shock. “I spoke to my son 10 days ago and he appeared perfectly calm,” he was quoted as saying.

“He had no idea he was in danger of being arrested... I will be speaking with a French consular contact in Cambodia tomorrow, and I intend to fly to Cambodia as soon as possible.”

French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said Paris had asked Cambodia “for clarifications on the motives for his arrest”. “We have made

clear that we will be watchful that no legal action of any kind be brought against him unless its legal basis has been clearly established,” he said.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters he had “no information on this case” when repeatedly asked about the arrest of Devillers.

Hong refused to say whether the extradition of Devillers was brought up during a visit to Cambodia last week by top Chinese leader He Guoqiang, who heads the ruling Communist Party’s internal disciplinary organ and is reportedly heading up the investigation into Bo. The scandal surrounding Bo and Gu, which first came to light in February and made worldwide headlines, has exposed deep divisions within the Communist Party ahead of a crucial, once-in-adecade leadership transition, analysts say. —AFP

Three dead in new Myanmar clashes US praises Naypyidaw’s ‘constructive’ response to clashes

BEIJING: Chinese artist Ai Weiwei waits at his home after claiming he was barred from attending his court hearing against a multi-million-dollar tax fine in Beijing yesterday. —AFP

Artist Ai Weiwei barred from court BEIJING: Police barred artist Ai Weiwei from attending the hearing of a lawsuit his company brought against Beijing tax authorities and blocked filming at the courthouse yesterday as part of an intimidation campaign against the outspoken government critic. Ai told reporters that police the previous night had ordered him to stay home and steer clear of the courts. He said he agreed.

Chinese authorities detained Ai for three months last year and his design company was ordered to pay 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) in back taxes and fines, a penalty interpreted by activists as punishment for his criticism of the authoritarian government.

The company has appealed the fine and separately filed a lawsuit that accuses the tax bureau of violating laws in handling witnesses, evidence and company accounts in the case. To the surprise of many, the lawsuit was accepted. Ai’s wife Lu Qing, who is the legal representative of his design company, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., went to the hearing with several lawyers and an accountant.

Plainclothes and uniformed police were stationed outside Ai’s home and studio in northeast Beijing yesterday, registering journalists who showed up to interview Ai and report on his case. Ai argued briefly with them and demanded to know why they were interrogating his visitors. Reporters were also blocked from filming at the courthouse. Liu Xiaoyuan, a legal consultant who has been staying at Ai’s home, was missing yesterday after being taken away by

police Tuesday night, Ai said.

Since he emerged from detention last year, Ai has been refused permission to travel and is under constant surveillance.

He still frequently criticizes the government on Twitter, which is blocked in China but accessible to tech-savvy citizens. A sculptor, photographer and installation artist, Ai has increasingly used his art and online profile to draw attention to injustices in Chinese society and the need for greater transparency and rule of law.

Before his own detention last April, he was using Twitter to publicize the disappearance of fellow activists in a widespread crackdown by the government.

He has also spoken out about a number of national scandals, including the deaths of students in shoddily built schools that collapsed during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, children killed or sickened by tainted infant formula and a deadly high-rise fire in Shanghai that killed 58 people and was blamed on negligent workers and corrupt inspectors.

Ai’s tax bill prompted tens of thousands of Ai’s supporters to send small donations that ended up totaling nearly 8.7 million yuan ($1.4 million), which was used to pay a guarantee to the tax bureau. Some donations were folded into paper airplanes or wrapped around fruit and thrown over his gate. He was given a symbolic 100 euro ($137) donation from the German government’s human rights commissioner. Ai has said that he will not treat the money from supporters as donations, but as loans that he would repay.— AP

YANGON: Fresh communal violence has left at least three people dead in western Myanmar, government officials said yesterday, as the United States praised Naypyidaw’s “constructive” response to the clashes. Three Buddhists were killed on Tuesday in the village of Yathedaung, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) from Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, according to an official who did not want to be named.

“The death toll could be higher,” the official told AFP from Sittwe, adding that monsoon rains had hampered transport and communication links to the area.

Despite the new outbreak of bloodshed, the official said the situation was “under control in most parts of Rakhine state”, where emergency rule has been in place for more than a week.

The region has been rocked by rioting, arson and a cycle of revenge attacks involving Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya, prompting growing international concern. The clashes have left more than 60 people dead, another official said, including 10 Muslims killed on June 3 by a Buddhist mob seeking revenge for the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman-the apparent spark for the unrest.

Myanmar President Thein Sein has warned the violence could disrupt the nation’s fragile democratic reforms as it emerges from decades of army rule. His swift reaction to the unrest, including imposing the state of emergency, setting

up relief camps for the displaced and allowing UN humanitarian support, yesterday earned the praise of the US embassy in Yangon. “President Thein Sein responded in a timely and public manner,” an embassy spokesman said in a statement, adding: “The government undertook other constructive steps to respond to the violence and assist victims.”

The embassy also said the government’s receptivity to outside help for displaced people was a “welcome difference” to its rejection of aid after cyclone Nargis, a 2008 storm which left an estimated 138,000 people dead or missing in the then army-ruled country. The wave of violence between Rakhine and Rohingya has forced tens of thousands of people from both sides to flee their homes and seek shelter in relief camps. The World Food Program said Tuesday it had provided food to more than 65,000 people, estimating a further 25,000 were in need of help.

About 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar, according to the United Nations, which describes them as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.

Neighboring Bangladesh, where an estimated 300,000 Rohingya live, has been turning back Rohingya boats arriving on its shores since the outbreak of the unrest. Rohingya leaders say the real number of dead in remote villages could be much higher than the figures given by authorities. —AFP

Thousands evacuated as storm strikes Taiwan TAIPEI: Taiwanese authorities evacuated thousands of people, cancelled hundreds of flights and closed schools yesterday as tropical storm Talim pounded Taiwan, officials said. The storm sparked rainfall up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) in the south and forecasters from the Central Weather Bureau have warned that at least twice as much may yet be on the way.

“Even though it is not expected to landfall, the storm still may introduce heavy rains and inflict casualties and damage. The public must by no means relax their vigilance until Friday,” a weatherman told AFP. In the southern Kaohsiung city, which received much of the rainfall, schools and offices were

closed. Nearby more than 2,000 villagers were evacuated from the mountainous areas prone to mudslides, with a further 3,500 evacuated island-wide.

A total of 247 domestic and three international flights were axed while all shipping services to and from the offshore islands were halted. South-bound rail transportation linking Kaohsiung with the southeastern Taitung county was interrupted. At 1000 GMT, the centre of the tropical storm was 190 kilometres (117.8 miles) west-southwest of the capital Taipei city. With a radius of 150 kilometres (93 miles) and packing gusts up to 83 kilometres per hour, the storm was moving northeast at 41 kilometres per hour, the Central Weather Bureau said. — AFP

Manila may send ships back to disputed shoal MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said yesterday he would send ships back to a disputed shoal once stormy weather clears, if ships from China have not left the area by then.

Government ships from the two countries have squared off for more than two months at the Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground off the northwestern Philippines claimed by both countries.

The Philippines announced over the weekend it would withdraw its remaining two ships because of bad weather endangering Filipino crewmen, and China later said it would pull out its fishing boats for safety - sparking hopes of an end to the standoff.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa welcomed the actions by China and the Philippines, saying yesterday that his country has called on both sides “to refrain from further escalating tensions and instead promote peaceful settlement by diplomatic means.” Aquino, however, said a Philippine plane would check the shoal once the weather improves. “If there’s a presence in our territorial waters, then

we will redeploy,” Aquino told reporters.

“But if there is no other presence or other vessels that might impinge on our sovereignty, there’s no need to deploy.” A storm that has whipped up 16-foot (5-meter) waves continued to lash the area yesterday. Filipino forecasters said the weather may start to clear by the weekend. Ships and fishing boats have been warned to stay away from the rough seas, they said. A Philippine government official told The Associated Press that six Chinese government ships and 30 Chinese fishing boats were sighted at Scarborough on Tuesday.

The fishing boats, which have been marooned in the shoal’s sprawling lagoon, may have been stranded by the passing storm and may leave once the weather clears, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing a lack of authority to talk to reporters. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said two Chinese surveillance ships and one Philippine Bureau of Fisheries vessel have left the shoal’s lagoon over the past two weeks. — AP

TAIPEI: Students cross an intersection in the rain as tropical storm Talim approaches yesterday in Taipei, Taiwan. More than 2,000 people evacuated from homes as the tropical storm causes flooding in Taiwan. —AP

KUTUPALONG: A Rohingya Muslim woman waits with a child to get treatment near an unauthorized camp that houses Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled Myanmar during an ethnic strife in 1992, in Kutupalong, Bangladesh on World Refugee Day yesterday. World Refugee Day, a day initiated by the United Nations to raise awareness on the plight of refugees worldwide, is observed on June 20 every year. —AP

Japan utility admits flaws worsened tsunami crisis TOKYO: The operator of the Japanese nuclear plant devastated by last year’s tsunami issued a final report on the disaster yesterday, outlining organizational and communication problems that have not yet been resolved. The report by Tokyo Electric Power Co. comes as Japan prepares to restart its first nuclear reactors since the March 11, 2011, disaster led to a prolonged shutdown of all of the country’s atomic generating plants. While many Japanese remain deeply concerned about the safety of nuclear power, the restart raises operators’ hopes that more reactors can resume operations.

The massive tsunami severely damaged four reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant north of Tokyo, knocking out cooling systems and triggering meltdowns and radiation leaks. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in the worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl. TEPCO Vice President Masao Yamazaki, who headed its probe of the disaster, acknowledged that the company had repeatedly underestimated the risk of a tsunami, despite predictions in recent years that such earthquake-generated waves could jump over seawalls protecting reactors. Officials clung to optimistic views instead of taking the side of safety, he said.

“We must admit that our tsunami anticipation was too optimistic, and our insufficient preparations for a tsunami were the fundamental cause of the accident,” Yamazaki told a news conference. Yesterday’s report provided an incomplete picture of the accident because of the difficulty of inspecting the inside of the melted reactors. The company promised to make the best use of the findings to improve safety at its still-functional reactors, which it hopes to restart quickly as it struggles to finance astronomical compensation costs.

But it said the shortcomings disclosed in the report, both in hardware and crisis management, are still unresolved and need more improvement. It said further efforts are needed to foster flexibility among plant workers and establish a solid line of communication during crises. Last week, the government approved the restart of two reactors belonging to another utility at the Ohi nuclear power plant in Fukui, western Japan, which will be the first to come back online since last year’s disasters. All 50 of Japan’s commercial nuclear reactors have been offline for maintenance or safety checks. Public opposition has delayed their resumption of operations.

The government has pushed hard to bring some reactors online as soon as possible to avert power shortages during the high-demand summer months. TEPCO has conducted “stress tests” at two of the seven reactors at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata in northern Japan, which are currently under review by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. — AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

NEWS

A Sri Lankan toddy tapper walks on a rope as he crosses between coconut trees in order to collect sap to make palm wine, or toddy as it is locally known, in Wadduwa yesterday. — AFP

Egypt junta delays results of elections

3 Continued from Page 1 formidable domestic security apparatus which crushed Al-Qaeda inside the kingdom and has helped foil attempts by the militant group to attack international targets from its base in Yemen. “He played a pivotal role in strengthening the relationship between the United States and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Panetta said in a statement late on Tuesday.

After the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Prince Nayef was at first unwilling to accept that Saudi citizens could have participated, when they in fact made up 15 of the 19 hijackers. But former diplomats to the kingdom said he later reversed this position and worked closely with US security forces after a string of Al-Qaeda attacks hit targets inside Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah on Monday named Prince Salman, defence minister in the world’s top oil exporter, as his new heir. Salman is responsible for Saudi Arabia’s multibillion dollar arms purchases which have historically been used to cement relations with key allies including

Washington. However, analysts say Nayef’s death will likely not affect the kingdom’s security operations as his long-time deputy Prince Ahmed was appointed to replace him as interior minister.

Nayef’s son Prince Mohammed bin Nayef has stayed on as head of the security forces which have been praised by US officials for expelling Al-Qaeda from Saudi Arabia. “Prince Nayef was involved in strategic decisions, not the day-to-day operational side, so I don’t think we will see any change, particularly on counter terrorism,” said Mustafa Alani, a security expert at the Gulf Research Centre based in Jeddah. “Prince Ahmed will endorse the operational policy of Prince Mohammed and continue the close relationship with the US, not only inside Saudi but on Yemen, Somalia ...

It’s region-wide,” Alani added. After stepping off the plane, Panetta, in a dark suit, shook hands and smiled as he was greeted by the Saudi protocol chief. British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond and Prince Andrew the Duke of York offered condolences to Crown Prince Salman on Tuesday. — Reuters

Court nullifies 2012 polls, reinstates...

Continued from Page 1 During this time, the “suspect” Cabinet approved on Dec 6 a decree to dissolve the Assembly which the Amir issued. After some time, a new Cabinet was formed but without including any MP, which is a precondition for the legality of any government. This new Cabinet approved another decree inviting people to vote in the new election.

The constitutional court, whose rulings are final, said both decrees are illegal and accordingly all the results based on them, including the February elections are nullified. The opposition is the major loser from the verdict since it had a comfortable majority in the scrapped Assembly following its impressive victory. Opposition MP Musallam AlBarrak described the ruling as a “coup” against the constitution, saying that the events in Kuwait are similar to what happened in Egypt last week when the constitutional court there ordered the dissolution of parliament.

All 17 MPs in the new Assembly who were members in the previous Assembly immediately submitted their resignation and were followed by seven others who failed to get reelected. Opposition MPs hope that a sufficient number of MPs will resign so as to lead to dissolving the reinstated Assembly and holding fresh elections. The information minister declined to answer a question on whether the government will recommend to the Amir to issue a fresh decree dissolving the reinstated Assembly. But he said that the objective reasons for issuing the old decree to dissolve the previous Assembly “still exist” and the government is still studying the issue.

Lawyer Yacoub Al-Sane, who had filed one of several lawsuits on behalf of Ali Al-Rashed, a pro-government member of the previous parliament, said the ruling was based on the fact the government which recommended the parliament’s dissolution was “unconstitutional”. Rashed himself welcomed the ruling and congratulated the Kuwaiti people for the ruling.

Youth groups immediately called on its activists to gather in front of the Assembly building to protest against the court ruling. MPs Riyad Al-Adasani and Khaled Al-Sultan vowed they will expose the results of investigations parliamentary committees have undertaken regarding allegations of corruption. Adasani said that “being a member of the illegal deposits probe committee, I confirm that millions of dinars were illegally deposited into the accounts of some former MPs”. He vowed to reveal more details. Sultan said that some thefts of public funds had taken place and there are documents to condemn the former prime minister, adding that KD 480 million was spent and the former finance minister signed them. He did not elaborate. MP Abdullatif Al-Ameeri said that “all should remember that we now have facts about the corruption cases like bank deposits, foreign transfers and diesel smuggling and these will be revealed to the Kuwaiti people”.

Former MP Rola Dashti, who is now reinstated, welcomed the court verdict. “We have no doubt that decrees issued under pressure are void. This verdict should be written in gold, because we have just judges and the Kuwaiti people are tired. I tell the current MPs ‘thank you’, and it is the right of the former assembly to resume its authority ”. Dashti denied the court ruling was ‘unconstitutional’. “The verdict is not a plot against the constitution, it is the implementation of the constitution,” she said.

The consequences of the court ruling are expected to continue today with opposition MPs expected to hold meetings to coordinate their next moves. But the most expected scenario, according to analysts and observers, is that the government will recommend to the Amir to dissolve the current Assembly to restore the previous one. Then, the government will approve another decree recommending to dissolve the reinstated assembly to open the way for holding fresh elections, the second in a less than five months and the fifth in past six years.

Analysts also said yesterday’s ruling would not be welcomed by many voters who backed opposition politicians due to the allegations of financial irregularities against some former lawmakers. “The previous parliament is completely unpopular,” said Abdullah Al-Shayji, a political science professor at Kuwait University. “It does not have the support of the majority of Kuwaitis who voted for the new parliament and rejected most of the (former) parliamentarians who were rumoured to be involved in the (corruption) scandal.”

But some investors said the court’s ruling to dissolve parliament was a positive step as a protracted row between the government and parliament had long delayed economic reforms and held up vital development projects. “The old parliament being reinstated is likely to benefit the private sector. I expect to see some positive reaction in the market,” said Talal AlHunaif, senior investment analyst at Coast Investment and Development Co. “The country is suffering from constant political unrest and we saw no positive effect on the market since the new parliament was elected.”

After the old parliament reconvenes, analysts in Kuwait expect that elections will be called within 60 days. “ This glitch has caused chaos and delay, but it’s the ruling of the highest court and it can’t be challenged,” said Ghanim Al-Najjar, a political science professor at Kuwait University. Najjar said there are fears that the 2009 parliament would remain in office, but he said that was unlikely. “If they do that, it will be considered a challenge to the choice of the people, and the government cannot afford to do that,” he said. Political analyst Anwar AlRasheed said the ruling will escalate already high political tension in Kuwait unless the Amir dissolves the reinstated parliament again and calls for fresh polls. “This historical ruling will certainly lead to intensifying the political crisis in the country that has been suffering for a long time,” Rasheed said.

Continued from Page 1 examining the appeals... which will require more time before the final results are announced”. The announcement came amid uncertainty over the health of Mubarak, following a flurry of reports about his condition. Mubarak “is not clinically dead,” a medical source told AFP. “He is in a coma and the doctors are trying to revive him. He has been placed on an artificial respirator,” the source added, in an account confirmed by a member of Egypt’s ruling military council, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Egypt’s state television carried a ticker item saying Mubarak was in “a coma and is not clinically dead”. State news agency MENA had earlier said the ousted strongman, 84, had been declared clinically dead after suffering a stroke in prison and being transferred to hospital. “Hosni Mubarak is clinically dead,” the report said. “Medical sources told MENA his heart had stopped beating and did not respond to defibrillation.”

News of Mubarak’s failing condition came amid a backdrop of legal and political chaos. The Brotherhood appeared set on a confrontation path with the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) which which issued a new constitutional declaration granting itself sweeping powers. The state-owned daily Al-Ahram summed up the mood saying Egypt was facing “the most critical 48 hours in its history”.

Early Monday the Brotherhood said their candidate had won the runoff, and on Tuesday provided what they said were certified copies of ballot tallies to bolster their claims. But Mursi’s rival Shafiq also claimed a victory, with his campaign accusing the Brotherhood of issuing false figures. A group of independent judges - headed by the ex-head of the Judges Union, Zakaria Abdel Aziz - who monitored the voting process confirmed in a news conference that Mursi had won, according to

their tally.

The new president, irrespective of the result, will not wield the near-absolute authority Mubarak enjoyed for three decades, after SCAF issued a constitutional declaration on Sunday claiming sweeping powers. Mubarak’s successor will also inherit a struggling economy, increased insecurity and the challenge of uniting a nation divided by the uprising and its deadly aftermath. Should Mursi win, it will be a real test for the Brotherhood’s ability to deal with problems on the ground.

The new dynamics will mean that “SCAF will command the national security of Egypt and leave domestic issues to the president. Any problems and the blame will be shifted to the elected representative,” said Joshua Stacher, a political analyst and Egypt expert at Kent State University. The SCAF’s document said it would retake legislative powers from the Islamist-dominated parliament after the country’s constitutional court ordered, last week, the body dissolved. And it grants the military council veto power over the drafting of a permanent constitution, angering activists who denounced the declaration and an earlier order giving the army power to arrest civilians, as a “coup”. The Brotherhood insists the parliament retains legislative power and has pledged to counter the SCAF decisions with “popular activities”.

On Tuesday night, the Brotherhood joined a mass demonstration in Cairo’s Tahrir square, which attracted over 15,000 protesters, some celebrating Mursi’s win as much as denouncing the military move. The demonstrators were still in the square as the conflicting details of Mubarak’s condition filtered in. “It’s divine retribution,” said Saber Amr, a teacher. “God doesn’t forgive those who do wrong to their people. God doesn’t forgive those who kill innocents.” Nearby, Abdel Mottaleb, a Brotherhood supporter, offered a more conciliatory tone, saying “God will judge him.” — AFP

Islamists gain from cultural chasm in UAE Continued from Page 1 elsewhere could embolden its own Islamists’ movement, and show little tolerance of dissent. Authorities have arrested at least 10 Islamists in the past two months, including a ruling family member who is being held at the ruler’s palace in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, in an apparent clampdown on dissidents.

Islamists in the UAE say they share similar ideology with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt but have no direct links with the group, seen as a mentor for all Islamist groups in the region. Emirati sources say the UAE will not allow religion to be exploited to sow discord. Analysts said that some of the issues advocated by Islamists may appeal to conservative Emiratis, even if many do not agree with their ideology, however. “Islamists are populists, they appeal to people in the UAE (because) they talk about the importance of Arabic as the main language, the traditions of the UAE, about the rise in numbers of expats,” said Qassemi.

The economic boom in Abu Dhabi and Dubai has made UAE citizens some of the world’s wealthiest with an annual income per capita of $48,000, but it has also brought what some see as unwelcome Western influence. The cultural divide in the UAE between the native Muslim population and expatriates, mostly non-Arabs, is conspicuous on the streets. While Emirati women cover themselves from head to toe with a headscarf and abaya, a traditional formless black gown, their expatriate counterparts walk around in shorts or miniskirts, and public beaches are full of tourists sunbathing in bikinis.

Islam bans alcohol for Muslims. But in the UAE, nonMuslims with an official licence can legally buy alcohol from certain shops, and beach bars and the infamous allyou-can-drink brunches heave with revellers every weekend. “Islamists are conservative, they don’t agree with most of what is happening with Abu Dhabi and Dubai when it comes to the lifestyle of people and the changes in the culture and identity,” said Ahmed Mansoor, a liberal blogger and one of five activists jailed last year for criticising the authorities. “The circumstances in the UAE may have served the Islamists and their popular demands.”

Islamists in the UAE say all they want is more civil rights and greater power for the Federal National Council, a quasi-parliamentary body that advises the government but has no legislative authority. The government has sought to address people’s worries. It has encouraged population growth, enforced curbs on unskilled workers and pushed ahead with “Emiratisation”, a policy where local firms are

required to hire a set percentage of nationals. Shopping malls in Dubai now have signs encouraging foreigners to dress modestly, and public displays of affection, such as kissing, risk being punished under the country’s decency laws.

In 2010, a British couple were sentenced to a month in jail and fined in Dubai for kissing on the mouth in a restaurant. Last week, a member of the Federal National Council said that dress code and behaviour have become such an issue for Emiratis in the UAE that a federal law might become necessary. “We are not asking residents or tourists to veil their faces or hair but we are asking them to comply with our norms and traditions,” FNC member Hamad Ahmad al-Rahoomi told Reuters. A Twitter campaign “UAEDressCode” launched last month by two Emirati women against skimpy clothes has prompted wider public discussion of the issue. “Whatever your views, the campaign message remains valid: expatriates should respect the UAE’s cultural values when in public spaces,” wrote columnist Mishaal Al-Gergawi in the Gulf News daily.

Through social media, the UAE’s Islamists have become more vocal than ever and some diplomats and analysts say the UAE is worried that Islamists could use these social grievances as a platform to gain popularity among ordinary Emiratis. “The UAE is a devoutly Muslim society,” said an Emirati source close to the government. “Islam is a fundamental part of our culture and daily life. But we will not permit it to be misused to promote division and discord.”

The UAE last year revoked the citizenship of seven Islamists it described as posing a threat to national security.

The Islamists arrested in the past two months are mainly from the more conservative northern emirates such as Sharjah, the only emirate that completely bans alcohol, or Ras al-Khaimah, home to one of the Sept 11 hijackers and one of the other emirates that has benefited less from the oil wealth. Many are members of Al-Islah (Reform) Islamist group, which some members say has several thousand followers though officials estimate the number in the hundreds. “It is a dangerous situation and people have been talking about it for years, and we have raised it as well,” said Muhammed Al-Siddiq, an Islah member and one of the seven stripped of their citizenship, referring to the large number of expatriates in the UAE. “If you went to Dubai now, you can hardly find an Emirati citizen,” Siddiq told Reuters in Sharjah before being detained again by the authorities in April. “We say if you found one, then you have to shake his hand and say hello, how are you? Because Emirati citizens have become a minority.” — Reuters

14

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

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Issues

Microsoft takes page from Apple

By Rob Lever ith its new tablet computer, Microsoft is taking a page from Apple’s playbook in an effort to control both hardware and software for computers, in a strategy which carries some risk, analysts say. With the tech landscape rapidly shifting, Microsoft is being forced to shift to the “vertical” strategy employed by Apple and Google, aiming to keep in touch with users with hardware, search functions and software. “Apple created this new environment with these new products and cloud services. All Microsoft has to do is offer the same thing under their brand name,” said independent analyst Jeff Kagan. “Microsoft will have to refresh their brand. Right now the Microsoft brand is like dear old grandpa. It needs to be invigorated.”

The new landscape will see these three big players, Microsoft, Google and Apple, competing more directly on each other’s territory, analysts say.

Other smaller players include Amazon, which has its own hardware devices, and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. Google is widely expected to launch its own branded tablet as well and a phone that may carry its own brand or that of its new acquisition, Motorola Mobility. “It’s about controlling the user experience, which is segmented and fragmented,” said analyst Ramon Llamas at IDC. “It really helps to have a presence on all the screens,” including mobile phones, PCs, TVs and tablets, he said. To carry out the strategy, Llamas said Microsoft also needs to beef up its applications available. He said it now has some 100,000 for Windows mobile phones, many of which could be adapted for tablets, trailing Android and Apple.

But it’s not clear if Microsoft, even with its market muscle, can generate the same kinds of apps that drive the experience for tablet users. “If you’re an app developer, you are already programming for Apple and for Android and you want to know what the market is in Windows, what is the revenue opportunity,” he said. “Without apps, you will have a piece of glass and metal that surfs the Web and not much else.” Jack Gold of J Gold Associates said Microsoft is trying to defend its Windows brand the operating system used on most personal computers - with the strategy, but also runs the risk of alienating the PC makers which provide most of the revenue to the software giant. “If they’re not careful they could turn off some of those (PC makers) and force them into something else, like Android.”

Android is the operating system used on mobile devices from Google, which is likewise developing a strategy that includes gadgets as well as software and search to keep its users in the “ecosystem”.

Gold said Microsoft needs to look forward but not too far ahead. “I don’t believe the PC model is going away any time soon, but it is changing and morphing,” he said. If Microsoft tries to grab too much control of hardware, it risks alienating the big PC makers like Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo. Even though Apple has succeeded in this “walled garden” approach, it might not work for Microsoft.

“If you try to limit innovation to a single company, ultimately you’re undercutting the ability of the market to innovate,” Gold said. Gold said Microsoft acted on tablets because “the tablet market in Windows is close to zero.” “They are trying to kickstart the high end of the market, and if they limit it to that they would be OK.” he said. “But if they start competing with Acers and Lenovos it’s going to be a problem. It could push them into the Android camp.” Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg said the move by Microsoft “shows just how concerned they are about Apple and the threat Apple is to their ecosystem right now”. But he added that Microsoft may not be able to duplicate the success of Apple: “The only company that has been good at being Apple is Apple.” — AFP

W

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Iran, world powers stuck in nuke impasse

By Stuart Williams alks between world powers and Iran to defuse the Iranian nuclear crisis face a tough future after the sides failed to edge any closer to a breakthrough at a crunch meeting in Moscow, analysts said. Negotiators from the six world powers and their Iranian counterparts managed at the talks on Monday and Tuesday to prevent the diplomatic process from complete collapse by agreeing a new expert-level meeting in Istanbul on July 3. But with Iran defying Western demands to scale down its sensitive uranium enrichment activities and the West showing no sign of lifting sanctions, it is unclear how much room for manoeuvre is left for the new talks.

The Moscow round came at a critical moment in the decade-long nuclear crisis, with Tehran about to face potentially crippling EU and US sanctions against its oil sector and the option of military action still on the table. “Some narrowing may have occurred, but going forward talks will take place against the back-

T

ground of a new round of escalation and counter escalation,” said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council. “ That will further render an agreement difficult,” said Parsi, author of the book “A Single Roll of the Dice” on American diplomacy with Iran.

The world powers known as “P5+1” permanent UN Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany - failed to win any concession from Iran that would give the talks a new impulse. The West suspects Iran of seeking to make nuclear weapons under the guise of an energy program and wants it to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent purity - a level close to that needed to make the core of a nuclear bomb.

But Western powers have also refused to concede to Iranian demands to scrap US and EU sanctions targeting its oil export sector that are due to come into force on June 28 and July 1 respectively.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said hours after the talks ended that sanctions against Tehran should “contin-

ue to be tightened as long as Iran refuses to negotiate seriously”. “The crucial sanctions-lifting bit is missing and some Western states won’t agree to do that unless Iran moves first,” commented Mark Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “But Iran isn’t willing to do that, so there is no movement.”

Further complicating the picture is that within the P5+1 Russia and China are firmly opposed to the unilateral US and EU sanctions. “All six are not on the same page on this issue,” Hibbs said.

Previous rounds in Istanbul and Baghdad also resulted in no progress.

The latest talks - led by chief Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton - were a struggle, Western officials said. “We went round and round for quite a while,” said a senior US administration official, speak ing on condition of anonymity.

The only firm outcome of the talks was the agreement for the lower-level meeting in Istanbul. This would be followed by a meeting between Ashton

and Jalili’s deputies and then the top envoys themselves. But no dates were set. “Continuing the talks on the experts level will not solve the issue,” said Mohammad Saleh Sedghian of the Tehran-based Arabic Centre for Iranian Studies. “If the talks continue at the current level or lower, as was decided, we should be looking at a marathon of talks with no end.”

But it also appears the Iran’s foes are already using other methods, away from negotiation. Iran was recently hit by a massive c yberattack by a malware known as Flame able to steal documents, according to industry experts.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the United States and Israel collaborated on creating the virus to spy on Iran’s computer networks and send back intelligence used for an ongoing cyberwarfare campaign. Sedghian the West was for the moment happy to pressure Iran with the sanctions and cyberwarfare since it is “much cheaper than the military option which will burden the US, Israel and the Western allies”. — AFP

No light at end of Egypt tunnel for Israel

By Crispian Balmer gypt’s political upheaval is by no means over, but its uneasy neighbour Israel is not waiting for the outcome. Desert defences are being strengthened and strategy revised as a once stable relationship splinters. Shortly after the Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in Egypt’s presidential vote on Monday, unidentified gunmen crossed the Sinai border and killed an Israeli worker. There was no suggestion the two events were linked, but the violence underscores how security in the Sinai Peninsula has deteriorated since the downfall of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, with no hope of any swift solution while Cairo remains convulsed by political uncertainty. “What is going on along the southern border worries me ... and the ideology of political Islam in Egypt worries me, so I need to sleep with one eye open,” said Ilan Mizrahi, a former Israeli national security adviser and exdeputy head of Mossad.

Israel faces a dilemma of major strategic consequences. Its 33-year peace with Egypt has been a cornerstone of regional stability and an economic boon for both countries, thanks in part to generous US aid. No one expects Cairo to bin the peace accord any time soon, even if the Muslim Brotherhood, which is traditionally hostile to the Jewish state, does manage to consolidate power in the face of an Egyptian military out to conserve its own authority. A demilitarised Sinai is the keystone of the peace. But for the past year there has been growing lawlessness in the vast desert expanse, as bedouin bandits, jihadists and Palestinian militants from next-door Gaza fill the vacuum, tearing at already frayed relations between Egypt and Israel.

“We need to be sensitive about what is going on in Cairo and try to make Egypt understand that this needs to be stopped,” said Mizrahi in a telephone interview. “If nothing happens, then I expect my country to react as we know how to react and stop these attacks on

E

our civilians,” he added, suggesting that if needs be, Israel should cross the border to track down its enemies. Such a move would mark a dangerous turning point in an already inflammatory region.

Israel has remained largely silent as Egypt has struggled in the difficult transition from de-facto dictatorship to democracy, via revolution and growing Islamisation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered ministers not to talk in public about the situation for fear of exacerbating tensions. But there are signs of growing public frustration in Israel. Last August, eight Israelis died in a cross-border attack blamed on Palestinian militants from the nearby Gaza Strip. Earlier this week, Israel said two grad rockets that hit its territory were fired out of Sinai - a charge Egypt denied.

The worsening security in the south has come at a time of increased tensions

in the north, tied to the 15-months-long Syrian crisis, and continuous, low-level warfare in Gaza. A cartoon in left-leaning Haaertz newspaper on Tuesday showed Netanyahu crouching in a ditch alongside Defence Minister Ehud Barak as rockets fly in from Egypt. “Just make sure you don’t upset the Egyptians,” the prime minister says. Israeli officials have so far ruled out direct intervention in the Sinai and have instead urged Egypt to resolve the problem by itself, letting its military dispatch more troops to the peninsula than allowed for by their historic, 1979 peace treaty.

At the same time, Israel is speeding up construction of a 5-m high barrier that will run most of the 266 km from Eilat on the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba up to the Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean. “We are in a race against the clock to close the border,” said Gaza Division Southern

Israeli policemen and a soldier guard a road block in the Israeli Negev desert, south of Beer Sheva on June 18, 2012. – AFP

Brigade Commander Tal Harmoni following Monday’s attack, in which the Israeli army shot dead at least two of the militants before they could return to Egypt.

But as the Israelis have discovered in Gaza, a fence does not keep out rockets or missiles. So unless it opts for direct intervention, it will have to depend on Egyptian intervention.

The Israeli government has remained in close contact with the Egyptian security apparatus since the downfall of Mubarak and officials, speaking off the record, say relations with the generals in Cairo remain essentially good. Certainly there was no murmuring from Israel this week when Egypt’s military announced it would drastically limit the remit of the new president - most probably Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi.

By contrast, Washington said it was “deeply concerned” by this and asked the army to transfer full power to an elected civilian government as previously promised.

“All in all, the play that was put in motion by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces against Morsy isn’t bad for us,” the leading Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said on Tuesday. But an analysis in the same paper warned of bad times ahead. “It isn’t the same Egypt, it isn’t the same border, the peace accords are on their deathbed and we had better change our operating manual,” wrote prominent columnist Alex Fishman.

One of Mubarak’s greatest services to Israel was the role he played in containing the Islamist Hamas movement, which rejects Israel’s right to exist and has close ties to the Brotherhood, limiting its access to weapons and hemming in its leadership. Israel believes an empowered Brotherhood will reverse that policy, creating instant friction between the erstwhile allies. “The announcement of the official presidential results will not mark the end of the turmoil in Egypt and will not bring us any relief. We are going to have a very long hot summer,” said Israel’s former ambassador to Egypt, Eli Shaked.— Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

sp orts Torch lights up auction

Preakness Stakes record

Paes threatens to quit

LONDON: An Olympic torch carried by David Beckham has attracted bids of over 1,500 pounds ($2,400) after London organisers began an online auction of Games memorabilia. The site is expected to sell off collectors’ items include a baton from the men’s 4 x 100 metres relay and tennis balls from the Olympic tournament once the Games get under way on July 27.

Mindful of criticisms that the Games have become too commercial, organisers said the funds raised would help to offset the cost of the torch relay and of staging the Games themselves.

They denied that the website was set up in response to some participants selling their torches on the eBay auction website.

The web site (www.london2012.com/auction) features the torch carried by former England soccer captain Beckham when the Olympic flame arrived in Britain from Greece on May 18.

As an added personal touch, it has Beckham’s signature on it. — Reuters

NEW YORK: The Maryland Racing Commission ruled on Tuesday that Secretariat set the Preakness Stakes record 39 years ago, meaning the 1973 Triple Crown winner now holds the record time at all three races in the trilogy.

“I didn’t know if it was appropriate to cheer but I couldn’t help myself,” Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery said in a statement released by the commission. “This is a big day.”

Secretariat is one of 11 thoroughbreds to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes the same year, earning the Triple Crown, and long held the official record at the first and third legs. But his time at the Preakness was controversial from the moment he crossed the finish line. The electronic timer at Pimlico race track recorded a winning time of 1:55, which hand timers found slow.

Two independent clockers from the Daily Racing Form recorded times of 1:53 2/5, the commission said, and in the days following the race, the Maryland Racing Commission officially changed the time to 1:54 2/5, the time reported by Pimlico’s official hand clocker.

But in a 7-0 ruling on Tuesday, the commission revised it down further, to 1:53 flat, after a four-hour hearing at which Secretariat’s team presented modern technology to time the race. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Leading doubles player Leander Paes threatened to quit India’s Olympic team if he’s paired with a lower-ranked player and Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna play together in London.

Paes wrote to the All India Tennis Association yesterday while the national body tried to work out a compromise after Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to partner Paes at the Olympics, according to the NDTV news channel, which also posted the letter on its website.

Bhupathi and Bopanna say they should be a pair as they have been a team on the ATP Tour this year, while AITA said Paes should have first choice because he’s ranked higher.

India could have entered two teams but picked only Paes and Bhupathi because AITA believes they had the best chance of winning a medal.

Paes wrote he was comfortable playing with a lower-ranked player if that was the only men’s doubles pair representing India.

But he added he should choose a partner if Bhupathi and Bopanna were available for selection. — AP

Braves end Yankees winning streak

MLB results/standings Atlanta 4, NY Yankees 3; Cleveland 3, Cincinnati 2 (10 innings); Detroit 6, St Louis 3; Tampa Bay 5, Washington 4; Philadelphia 7, Colorado 2; Pittsburgh 7, Minnesota 2; Boston 7, Miami 5; NY Mets 5, Baltimore 0; Kansas City 2, Houston 0; Toronto 10, Milwaukee 9; Chicago Cubs 2, Chicago White Sox 1; Seattle 12, Arizona 9 (10 innings); Texas 7, San Diego 3; LA Angels 12, San Francisco 5; Oakland 3, LA Dodgers 0.

NY Yankees Baltimore Tampa Bay Toronto Boston

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division 41 26 .612 39 29 .574 38 29 .567 35 33 .515 34 33 .507

2.5 3 6.5 7

Central Division Cleveland 35 32 .522 Chicago White Sox 35 33 Detroit 33 34 .493 Kansas City 30 36 .455 Minnesota 26 40 .394

.515 2 4.5 8.5

Texas LA Angels Oakland Seattle

Western Division 42 27 .609 37 32 .536 32 36 .471 30 40 .429

5 9.5 12.5

Washington NY Mets Atlanta Miami Philadelphia

National League Eastern Division 38 27 .585 37 32 .536 36 32 .529 33 34 .493 32 37 .464

3 3.5 6 8

Cincinnati Pittsburgh St. Louis Milwaukee Houston Chicago Cubs

Central Division 38 29 .567 35 31 .530 34 34 .500 31 37 .456 28 40 .412 24 44 .353

2.5 4.5 7.5 10.5 14.5

Western Division LA Dodgers 42 26 .618 San Francisco 38 31 .551 Arizona 33 35 .485 Colorado 25 41 .379 San Diego 24 45 .348

0.5

4.5 9 16 18.5

Hend aims to justify top billing SEOUL: Australia’s Scott Hend attempts to live up to his star billing when he tees off at the inaugural Volvik Hildesheim Open J Golf Series in Jecheon, South Korea, today.

“It was a bit of a shock when I walked in this morning and saw my face on the posters and publicity boards.” said Hend yesterday. “It’s nice but you know what, you still have to do what you have to do and perform well.”

Hend ended a four-year title drought at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic in April but has struggled since. “Hopefully I can rebound from the last three weeks of just playing below average golf,” he said.

Thaworn Wiratchant could be the man to beat after his record-equalling 13th Tour success at the Queen’s Cup in Koh Samui, Thailand, last week.

But the Thai star, who matched his countryman Thongchai Jaidee’s record of 13 Asian Tour victories, was in a relaxed mood yesterday.

“I’m well into my 40s already and I’m just happy to be playing golf,” Wiratchant, 45, said. “While records are nice to have, I prefer to concentrate on my game and enjoy myself.”

Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman is looking to bounce back from losing the lead to Wiratchant with just four holes to play last week when his putting deserted him.

The 27-year-old-the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour in 2010 is hoping to cap a fine season with victory at the hilly Hildesheim Country Club layout.

“I’ve been playing well since the start of the season,” said Siddikur, who has enjoyed three top-five finishes and is yet to miss a cut in 2012.

Singapore’s Mardan Mamat is using this week as preparation for his crack at the British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes next month.

Mardan, who won a three-way playoff in Asian qualifying to secure a place in the third major of the season, said: “This event will provide me with the competitive edge going into next month’s British Open.” The $300,000 Volvik Hildesheim Open is jointly sanctioned by the Asian and Korean Tours. —AFP

NEW YORK: Chipper Jones atoned for a costly error by cutting down the potential tying run at the plate as the Atlanta Braves held on to beat New York 4-3 on Tuesday night, ending the Yankees’ 10-game winning streak.

The Yankees were trying to match their longest winning string in nearly a half-century. Instead, the Braves threw out two runners at home and won for only the second time in nine games.

Jason Heyward singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning off Hiroki Kuroda (6-7). Heyward also tripled and scored, and nailed Mark Teixeira at home with a strong throw from right field.

Rookie Andrelton Simmons drove in two runs and Jones delivered an RBI double for the slumping Braves. Tim Hudson (5-3) labored through five innings and four relievers preserved the lead. Craig Kimbrel closed for his NL-leading 20th save.

Mets 5, Orioles 0 At New York, Johan Santana pitched six sharp innings and Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer as the Mets beat Baltimore for their second straight shutout of the Orioles.

Santana followed R.A. Dickey’s second one-hitter in a row with his best outing since he tossed a no-hitter on June 1. Jordany Valdespin added a two-run single for New York, which won by the same score Monday night in the series opener. It was the second time this month that Santana and Dickey have thrown back-to-back shutouts.

Santana (5-3) had a pair of shaky outings after his no-hitter, but he was back in fine form against the suddenly punchless Orioles. The left-hander allowed four hits and struck out five.

Bobby Parnell, Miguel Batista and Jon Rauch each worked an inning to finish the five -hitter and extend Baltimore’s scoreless streak to 21 innings, dating to Sunday’s 2-0 victory in Atlanta.

The Orioles, who had won seven of eight before arriving at Citi Field, were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since April 2005.

Rays 5, Nationals 4 At Washington, Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer and David Price bounced back from his worst start of the season to pitch seven strong innings, leading the Rays to a victory over the Nationals.

Price (9-4) gave up four runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one to help Tampa Bay win for the third time in four games. His last time out against the Mets, Price gave up seven runs in five innings. Rays reliever Joel Peralta was ejected from the game in the eighth inning without throwing a pitch after the umpires found a foreign substance on his glove. Nationals starter Chien-Ming Wang (2-3) struggled from the start.

past first, struck out five and walked only one.

Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes each hit RBI singles for the A’s while Coco Crisp reached four times and stole three bases.

Los Angeles and former A’s starter Aaron Harang (5-4) couldn’t overcome a career-worst eight walks and his 40pitch first inning. Harang was hoooked after 3 2-3 innings for his shortest outing since 2010.

Jose Bautista erased a one-run deficit with back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning, lifting Toronto over Milwaukee.

It was the second back-to-back homer performance of the night for Rasmus and Bautista, who combined with Edwin Encarnacion to homer in three straight at-bats in the sixth.

The blown save marred what was other wise a memorable day for Brewers closer John Axford (1-4) who

Pirates 7, Twins 2 At Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen had three hits, including his 12th homer of the season, and Kevin

Indians 3, Reds 2 At Cleveland, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer with one out in the 10th inning off hard-throwing Aroldis Chapman to give Cleveland a win over Cincinnati.

Cabrera drove a 3-1 pitch from Chapman (4-3) into the right-field seats with one out. The second homer allowed this season by the left-hander scored Shin-Soo Choo, who had singled.

The Reds had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the 10th when Chris Heisey scored from third base with a headfirst slide on a wild pitch by Nick Hagadone.

Tigers 6, Cardinals 3 At Detroit, Justin Verlander allowed one earned run in seven innings, leading the Tigers to a victory over the Cardinals.

Verlander (7-4) retired 12 of the first 13 hitters he faced and worked out of a seventh-inning jam to help Detroit hold on. He struck out Allen Craig with the bases loaded with his final pitch.

Verlander allowed five hits and walked four, striking out only three.

Joaquin Benoit worked the eighth, and Phil Coke pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the year. Lance Lynn (10-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked two.

Red Sox 7, Marlins 5 At Boston, David Ortiz hit his 17th homer and Clay Buchholz won his fourth straight start as Boston won for the fifth time in six games.

Cody Ross, activated from the disabled list before the game, and Kelly Shoppach also homered as Buchholz (8-2) benefited again from a strong hitting attack. He entered the game with the second-best support in the majors, 7.51 runs per nine innings.

And the win came at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox had lost their previous three games, six of seven, and are just 15-19 this season. The Red Sox won their third straight overall in the opener of a nine-game homestand.

Logan Morrison drove in all five Miami runs with a two-run homer and two doubles.

Blue Jays 10, Brewers 9 In Milwaukee, Colby Rasmus and

PHOENIX: Seattle Mariners’ Brendan Ryan hangs onto the base to avoid being tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks’ Josh Bell during the eighth inning of an interleague baseball game. —AP earlier in the day posted a photo of his newborn son on his Twitter account.

Toronto’s Darren Oliver earned the win (1-2) and Casey Janssen the save.

Rangers 7, Padres 3 In San Diego, Josh Hamilton returned to the Texas lineup after missing four starts due to illness and hit a two-run triple, powering the Rangers past San Diego.

Hamilton, who leads the major leagues with 66 RBIs, went 2 for 5 and scored two runs as the Rangers extended their winning streak to five games. He had not started a game since Thursday due to an intestinal virus that caused him to lose 10 pounds. Texas starter Scott Feldman (1-6) broke a six-start losing streak, allowing two runs in six innings. He also had his first career RBI. Padres starter Edinson Volquez (3-7) allowed six runs in five-plus innings.

Mariners 12, Diamondbacks 9 In Phoenix, Casper Wells hit a tworun single in the top of the 10th inning as Seattle rallied to beat Arizona.

Arizona’s J.J. Putz (1-4) walked Justin Smoak leading off the 10th, and Dustin Ackley looped a single, moving pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki to second. Brendan Ryan sacrificed the runners over before Wells singled to

Angels 12, Giants 5 In Anaheim, Alber t Pujols hit a three-run homer, Mark Trumbo added a three-run triple and drove in five runs, and Mike Trout matched his career high with four hits in Los Angeles’ victory over San Francisco.

Angels starter CJ Wilson (8-4) allowed season-worsts of five runs and 10 hits, but the Angels backed him with their highest-scoring performance of the season. Los Angeles also moved to a season-best five games over .500.

San Francisco starter Barry Zito (5-5) gave up eight runs in just 3 1-3 innings, starting with Pujols’ firstinning homer before the pitcher had recorded an out. Zito has allowed 17 runs in 14 1-3 innings over his past three starts.

Athletics 3, Dodgers 0 In Oak land, Brandon McCar thy showed no signs of an ailing shoulder in seven impressive innings, winning his sixth consecutive decision to lead Oakland past Los Angeles.

McCarthy (6-3) pitched for the first time since June 7 due to his shoulder injury. He allowed only one runner

give the Mariners an 11-9 lead. Ichiro Suzuki sliced a double, easily scoring Wells to make it 12-9.

Seattle reliever Charlie Furbish (3-1) struck out four over two scoreless innings. The Diamondbacks’ six-game, home-winning streak was snapped.

ANAHEIM: Los Angeles Angels second baseman Howard Kendrick (top) forces San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval out a second and throws Hector Sanchez out at first during the sixth inning of an interleague baseball game. —AP

Correia ended a lengthy winless streak at home as Pittsburgh beat Minnesota.

Correia (3-6), pitched 5 1-3 shutout innings, allowing four hits to go with a walk and two strikeouts to earn his first victory in Pittsburgh in nearly a year.

Josh Harrison and Clint Barmes added three hits apiece for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight to climb four games above .500 (35-31).

Cubs 2, White Sox 1 At Chicago, Travis Wood pitched six strong innings for his first win as a starter in more than a year and the Cubs beat the White Sox. David DeJesus drove in two runs with a single in the third inning. He led off the ninth with a triple, but Jake Peavy finished his complete game by striking out Steve Clevenger looking at a 2-2 pitch with runners on second and third. The Cubs handed the White Sox their sixth loss in seven games.

Wood (1-3) came away with his first win since a relief appearance for Cincinnati at Pittsburgh on Aug. 19. He hadn’t won as a starter since he beat the Los Angeles Dodgers last June 15.

He allowing one run and four hits while striking out five and walking four.

Royals 2, Astros 0 At Houston, Luke Hochevar pitched into the eighth inning, two relievers completed the shutout, and Billy Butler hit a solo home run to lead Kansas City over Houston.

Hochevar (4-7) earned his first victory since May 12. He had four losses and two no-decisions since his previous win. He pitched no-hit ball into the fifth inning and allowed five hits and struck out six in a season-high 7 23 innings. Aaron Crow and closer Jonathan Broxton combined to allow no hits in the last 1 1-3 innings.

Broxton earned his 17th save.

Phillies 7, Rockies 2 At Philadelphia, Cole Hamels threw eight sharp innings and John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Ruiz hit tworun homers in the win. The last-place Phillies started a 10-game homestand with just their fourth win in 16 games.

The Rockies are 1-11 since June 4.

Hamels (10-3) allowed two runs and six hits, striking out seven. The lefty had a 6.07 ERA in his previous four starts. Rockies starter Josh Outman (03) gave up four runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. Mayberry connected for the third straight game. He has hit four of his six homers this season in the last five games. —AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

sp orts

Nike, Adidas lead suppliers’ battle for gold LONDON: US market leader Nike and German rival Adidas are locked in their own Olympic battle to boost athletes’ performance and squeeze maximum value out of next month’s Games in London.

The Games provide a showcase for new fashions and advances in technology which sportswear suppliers hope will drive sales at a time of economic turmoil in many of their markets.

Unlike soccer’s World Cup, Olympic venues carry no perimeter advertising, making the suppliers of kit and shoes the most visible brands when the eyes of the world are on the Games.

“This puts the likes of Nike, Adidas and Puma firmly in the spotlight in the most emotionally-charged moments,” said Danny Townsend, president EMEA and South Asia at brand analysis company Repucom. “Endorsement deals with athletes who are likely to gain substantial coverage, such as Usain Bolt or Jessica Ennis, pack an immense punch,” he added.

“Our projections from the Beijing Games indicate around 3.6 billion people worldwide saw at least some TV coverage which gives a strong indicator to the power of this presence.

This level of brand exposure is a potent force in driving sales.”

Jamaican triple gold medallist Bolt is the poster boy for Germany’s Puma, the third largest sporting goods company behind local rival Adidas. “ The Olympics is probably the biggest platform you can have as a sport brand. With Usain Bolt running the 100 metres, 200 metres and relays, the whole world will focus on that on T V,” Puma CEO Franz Koch told Reuters. Adidas has invested heavily to be the official sportwear partner of the Games, with tens of thousands of volunteers and Olympic officials to wear its familiar three-stripe outfits.

That comes on top of a long-standing deal to provide the kit for a British team which includes heptathlete medal hope Ennis, the photogenic face of the host nation’s squad.

“We’re kitting out 5,000 athletes and 84,000 volunteers with 3 million pieces of apparel,” Adidas Olympics head Simon Cartwright told Reuters at the firm’s headquarters in the small German town of Herzogenaurach, which is also home to Puma.

Adidas estimates the interest generated by the Games will bring it an extra 100 million pounds ($157 million) of sales in the UK, helping it on its way to overtake rival Nike as market leader there.

Cartwright says the situation is sim-

ilar to that in Beijing, when the Games helped it to top the market there in 2008. “Adidas has got its foot on the accelerator. They’ve thrown down the gauntlet to Nike because they want to take market leadership in the UK. Nike is more focused on Rio (2016),” said a manager in the sports sponsoring industry.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Nike remains the global market leader, with annual sales of almost $21 billion against $17 billion for Adidas. Puma, formed in 1948 after brothers fell out at Adidas, is a distant third with sales of $3.8 billion.

The top two seem to be pulling away despite the Bolt factor. Nike’s sales jumped 15 percent in the quarter to end-February, while Adidas reported a 14 percent rise in the first three months of the year. Puma managed only a six percent increase, trailing its larger rivals in Europe, China and the United States.

Nike, which sponsors the US Olympic team, says the Games give it the chance to build a buzz around its products.

“It’s like a concept car model — we get to debut these innovations on the world’s best athletes, then commercialise the opportunity by providing those technologies to athletes every-

where,” said Nike UK head of PR and communications Ryan Greenwood.

For its part, Adidas has made 41 different shoes that will be worn by athletes competing in 25 disciplines. The one thing they all have in common is their weight, they are on average 25 percent lighter than the equivalent shoes worn in Beijing.

“Every 100 grammes saved in weight is equivalent to 1 percent better performance,” Cartwright said. The group has also created what it calls the lightest ever sprint spike, at 99 grammes. “It’s so advanced we can’t make that many of them,” Cartwright said. Nike too is promoting ultra-light shoes and a running uniform featuring special patches which reduce the aerodynamic drag on an athlete, an idea taken from the dimples that help golf balls to fly further.

After exhaustive wind tunnel testing, it claims it can cut up to .023 seconds off times in the 100 metres what it says can be the difference between winning a medal and missing out.

Behind Puma, Japan’s Asics is the number four in the sector and positions itself as a supplier of premium products for everyone from elite marathon runners down to regular joggers. The company plans to open a

new flagship store on London’s Oxford Street just before the Games begin on July 27. Below those four are a cluster of smaller suppliers, including some from fast growing nations like Russia and China.

Russia’s privately owned Bosco is the kit supplier to the Spanish team and has opened a store in the new shopping centre on the edge of the Olympic park.

China’s Li Ning Co Ltd. came to prominence at Beijing in 2008 when its eponymous founder, a former Olympic gymnast, had the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron.

However, growing competition from Nike and Adidas in China is squeezing it and other local producers. Li Ning suffered a setback this month when it issued a profit warning and its shares fell to a 6-1/2 year low.

China’s ANTA Sports Products Ltd has also said it faces a challenging year because of rising costs and intense competition.

“It would take a monumental shift in the global sports apparel environment to impact on the dominance of Nike and Adidas,” said Repucom’s Townsend. “I think where we could see the real jostling in the coming years is in the second tier, below the big two,” he added. —Reuters

Pistorius, Du Toit in SA Paralympic team

Melissa Rippon in action in this file photo

Aussie water polo team hit by whooping cough MELBOURNE: A coach and two members of the Australian women’s water polo team have been diagnosed with whooping cough while in a training camp at the elite Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra, prompting swimming chiefs to cancel a pre-Games warm-up meeting.

Whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial disease characterised by fits of violent coughing, can lead to brain damage and death in infants in severe cases, but adults generally only suffer flu-like symptoms. The AIS said the entire Olympic water polo team had been quarantined after team members Melissa Rippon and Nicola Zagame were both diagnosed with the disease.

“The water polo team is in camp at the AIS and has been placed in isolation to mitigate the risk of infection for athletes, staff and the public,” the AIS said in a statement onits website (www.ausport.gov.au) on Saturday. “All members and officials of the team have been tested.” Australian Water Polo said both Rippon and Zagame would return to full training next week and were not in danger of missing out on the Games.

“Water Polo Australia is taking this

very seriously and will continue to work closely with AIS health professionals to provide the best care for those players diagnosed and to reduce any potential further risk,” the governing body said in a statement.

The outbreak prompted Swimming Australia to scrap a planned training camp for the team’s Olympic relay swimmers and a Grand Prix meeting in Canberra this weekend as a precaution.

“We have spoken with the AIS and, whilst we are comfortable with the procedures they have put in place, we have decided to take this precaution,” Olympic swimming head coach Leigh Nugent said in a statement. “Originally we’d planned to have this camp as an opportunity to come together for some further relay preparation and the chance for some of the athletes to race and time trial, a month or so out from the Games,” Nugent added. “From a relay perspective we are confident we’re on track with our preparations and will fine-tune things when we get to Manchester in July.

“As for the racing side of things, I’m sure the individual coaches will arrange time trials if they see fit to replicate that preparation.” —Reuters

Yuvraj hopes to play cricket this year NEW DELHI: India World Cup star Yuvraj Singh hopes to return to playing cricket this year after recovering from cancer.

Singh, named the player of the World Cup last year, concedes his comeback will not be easy after treatment for a rare germ cell cancer near his lungs.

“Playing for India is going to be a huge challenge for me because the body has been under a lot of shock which nobody can understand except me. Only a cancer patient can understand what he is going through,” Singh told the “ICC Cricket 360” TV show to be broadcast today. “So it’s going to be a big challenge for me to come back and play for India again.”

Singh, who last played for India in a home test series against West Indies in November, has featured in 37 tests, 274 one-day internationals and 23 Twenty20 matches since his international debut in 2000. He has started light training, and hoped he’ll be back in pads by around the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September-October.

“Actually I don’t want to rush and I don’t want to come back at 75 percent fitness,” he said. “I might take six months, I might take two months. So I don’t know. But the day I feel 100 percent, I surely will be back.” Singh said it had

been difficult to come to terms with his illness. “Initially it was hard to accept that a guy like me who is training six to seven hours a day, running around all the time as an athlete, can get diagnosed with something like this. It took a long time to sink in but eventually I made peace with it. I knew I had an issue and I had to sort it out.”

He showed signs of the illness during the World Cup 14 months ago, which India won on home soil. Singh, who underwent chemotherapy in the US, said he had been touched by the support of fans. — AP

Yuvraj Singh

JOHANNESBURG: Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius was included in South Africa’s Paralympics team as expected yesterday, but time is running out for the “blade runner” to also qualify for the 400 meters at the London Olympics.

Pistorius will defend his 100, 200 and 400-meter Paralympic titles at the Paralympics, but he now has just 10 days to qualify for the one-lap race at the able-bodied Olympics and become the first amputee runner to compete at both events in the same year. The London Games start July 27.

Pistorius and swimmer Natalie du Toit were among 62 athletes named by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee for the Aug. 29-Sept. 9 Paralympics. The two athletes have won 14 Paralympic golds between them. Du Toit competed at the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing and made history by carrying her country’s flag at the opening ceremonies of both events.

The swimmer broke new ground four years ago after becoming the first amputee competitor at the Olympics, finishing 16th in the 10kilometer open water swim. She then went on to win five gold medals at the Paralympics. The London Paralympics will likely be Du Toit’s last major competition.

“We thankfully have, in the shape

of Oscar Pistorius and Natalie du Toit, two global superstars,” said South Africa Olympic Committee President Gideon Sam. The 25-year-old Pistorius tweeted on Wednesday that he was looking forward to defending his three Paralympic titles, but said needs to set another qualifying time in the 400 meters before June 30 to be eligible for selection for South Africa’s able-bodied Olympics team. He has at least one more chance to qualify by running the distance in 45.30 seconds at the African Championships in Benin, which start next week.

Without running the qualifying time in his favored individual distance, Pistorius could also make the Olympics if he is included in South Africa’s 4x400 relay team.

The national track federation Athletics South Africa said the 4x400 team, which won silver with Pistorius at the World Championships last year in South Korea, would be picked shortly before the games. Promising single-amputee sprinter Arnu Fourie also was picked for South Africa’s Paralympic team that includes 25 track and field athletes and 10 swimmers. Athletes will also be competing in cycling and equestrian events, rowing, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis tournaments.

South Africa won 30 medals - 21 of them gold - at the Paralympics four years ago. —AP

Oscar Pistorius

Pakistan disarray gives Lanka edge GALLE: Sri Lanka will look to improve their dismal Test record over the past year when they take on a self-destructing Pakistan side in a three-match series from tomorrow. The Sri Lankans have won just two of their last 14 Tests and lost six, but remain a force on home soil where they drew a two-match series against topranked England in March and April. Mahela Jayawardene’s men have already handed Pakistan a warning by wrapping up the oneday series 3-1 after both teams shared the two Twenty20 internationals. “ The Test series was always going to be (a) big challenge, but winning is a good habit to have, so hopefully we can continue this momentum,” Jayawardene said ahead of the first Test in Galle.

“We have some experienced players coming in for the Tests. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us. It’s important that we start fresh and start well.”

Pakistan, who defeated Sri Lanka in all three formats in the United Arab Emirates last year, were let down by poor fielding and batting in the one-dayers.

But a worse blow hit them on Tuesday when skipper Misbah-ul Haq was banned from playing in the first Test by the International Cricket Council for a slow overrate in Monday’s final one-dayer in Colombo. Misbah was penalised for his team falling three overs short, which ICC match referee Chris Broad said was a “serious over-rate offence” in one-day internationals.

Instead Mohammad Hafeez will lead the tourists in Galle as Pakistan bid to bounce back and continue their remarkable run in Test cricket despite being forced to play abroad due to security concerns at home.

Pakistan have won seven of their last nine Tests, including a brilliant 3-0 whitewash of Andrew Strauss’ England in the UAE earlier this year. They have banked on a potent bowling attack led by prolific off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who

GALLE: Sri Lankan cricketer Nuwan Pradeep bowls during a practice session at the Galle International Stadium. Sri Lanka will play the first of three Test matches against Pakistan from tomorrow. —AFP

was the world’s leading Test wicket-taker last year with 50 scalps in eight matches. This year, Ajmal has already grabbed 24 wickets in three Tests against England, and will remain the main threat facing Sri Lanka. Pakistan endured a nightmarish outing in their last Test series in Sri Lanka in 2009 when they lost 2-0. They missed a modest victory target of 168 in the first Test in Galle, slumping to 117 all out after being 71 for two at one stage.

In the second Test in Colombo, Pakistan were dismissed for 90 in the first innings on a good batting pitch and then lost eight wickets for 26 runs in the second knock, losing the game by seven wickets.

But if they were to win this series 3-0, Pakistan would surpass arch-rivals India to take fourth spot in the Test rankings. A 2-0 scoreline would see them draw level with India on 111 rating points.

Misbah hoped the team’s past Test performances will help them put the one-day defeats behind them. “We need to forget about the one-dayers and start afresh,” he said. “We have done well in Test matches in the last two years.

We need to recall those performances and start afresh.”

Sixth-placed Sri Lanka will also take note of the Test ranking, as a 3-0 or 2-0 series win will see them leapfrog Pakistan to number five. The second Test will be played in Colombo from June 30 and the third in Pallekele from July 8. —AFP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

sp orts

Cavalry rides to LeBron’s rescue in time NEW YORK: History is rarely this neat.

We’ve been browbeating LeBron James for nearly two years, but a few minutes at the end of Game 5 was all it took to prove he knew what he was doing all along. All those Cavs teams that James single-handedly carried into the playoffs couldn’t win enough games with him playing his absolute best.

And none of them likely would have won the one the Heat did Thursday night 104-98 against a talented young Oklahoma City squad - with James stuck on the sideline fighting a cramp. Yet that’s exactly why James fled Cleveland: so he wouldn’t have to do all the heavy lifting himself.

He was effectively done with nearly 3 minutes left, after breaking a tie with one final cold-blooded 3-pointer. He had 25 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds at the time. But unlike in Cleveland, once it became clear somebody else had to

lead Miami the rest of the way, there was no shortage of high-priced reinforcements. Dwyane Wade stepping up was no surprise; Mario Chalmers doing the same was only a mild one.

“He actually thinks he’s the best player on this team and that’s a gift and a curse,” Wade said about Chalmers, who scored 12 of his 25 points in the final quarter. “But tonight it was a gift for us because he never gets down on himself, he always believes, ‘Find me, I can make a shot. I can make a play.’ “He was huge for us.”

James’ admission that he needed more help than he was getting in Cleveland, that he was willing to follow on occasion instead of leading all the time, invited most of the derision. James might have modeled himself after Michael Jordan, but “The Decision” made him seem more like Scottie Pippen, another prince who wound up in posses-

sion of a fistful of rings yet was never really cut out to be king.

Real kings like Jordan - and Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant did and even Tim Duncan - dug in their heels and made lesser stars come to them. To his credit, James’ ego was compact enough to be transported inside a suitcase.

Yet Jordan needed Pippen, and John Paxson and Steve Kerr on occasion, to bail him out, too, the way Shane Battier did for James in the first three games of the series and Chalmers did in Game 5.

The Chalmers cameo might have been especially gratifying, since Wade and Chris Bosh and especially James have been riding the former Kansas star especially hard.

As much as the three superstar pals rely on each other, they know there’s only one basketball to share and that for much of the time, it’s going to be in Chalmers’ hands when the play begins.

So they’ve gone out of their way to keep the chatty point guard focused. For one night, at least, it paid huge dividends.

It’s strange to think that the defining moment of the Heat’s season so far might be when teammate Juwan Howard and trainer Jay Sabol went out onto the court to prop up James for the walk back to the bench, because he didn’t look strong enough to make it on his own.

Or that the most important few points of James’ first title - no team has ever blown a 3-1 advantage in the finals - will have been scored by Chalmers, either on the nifty driving layup he slipped in with 44 seconds, or the two free throws two possessions later that sealed the win. If James resented any of it, he wasn’t letting on. Ditto for any lingering pain.

“He was hurting,” Wade confirmed afterward. “But that’s what it’s about this

time of the year. It would hurt more if we lose the ballgame, so it feels a little better if you can win it.”

Forgotten, too, was James’ pregame exchange with Oklahoma City defender Serge Ibaka, who suggested James couldn’t cover Thunder star Kevin Durant. Instead of rising to take the bait, James laughed the whole thing off.

“I don’t really care what he says, he’s stupid. Everyone says something to me every series, then (the media) tries to get a quote,” James said. “It’s stupid.”

Of course, it’s easier to do when like James, you’re averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds in the biggest series of your career and the cavalry is always close by.

“We’re going to prepare the same way we been preparing all series. When we play Miami heat basketball,” James said finally, content to be part of a team instead of it all, “we give ourselves a good chance to win.”—AP

Vettel eyes hat-trick to end record F1 run

INGOOIGEM: French cyclist Nacer Bouhanni (center), second-placed French cyclist Arnaud Demare (left) and third-placed Dutch cyclist Tom Veelers celebrate on the podium of the 65th edition of the Halle-Ingooigem cycling race. —AFP

Three tries and a wedding POTCHEFSTROOM: Nick Abendanon came to South Africa for a wedding and stayed on to score a hat-trick of tries as England triumphed 57-31 against Northern Barbarians Tuesday.

The full-back also played a key role in two other tries among the seven scored by the visitors, who finished strongly after the Barbarians trimmed a 31-10 half-time deficit to just seven points. Bath-based Abendanon, born in an upscale Johannesburg suburb 25 years ago, flew to South Africa this month for a wedding and was then called up by coach Stuart Lancaster when injured Mike Brown had to return home.

The official man of the match at chilly Olen Park in this north-west university town played down his 15-point contribution later, saying his team-mates made it easy for him.

“I got good help for my tries and I thought Jonny May was outstanding when he replaced Ugo (Monye). Hopefully a few of the team are going to push for Test places this weekend,” said Abendanon. A second consecutive midweek win for England over a Barbarians selection was marred by a first-half injury to left wing Monye, making his first appearance on the five-match tour after recovering from a hamstring problem.

The 29-year-old British and Irish Lion was carried off in a neck brace after eight minutes of treatment and taken to a local hospital for a precautionary scan.

“Ugo was knocked out during the tackle. He was taken to hospital but has come round and is fine, although a bit groggy,” England head coach Stuart Lancaster told reporters.

“I have just had a medical update, but I think he will be travelling back with us. He will go through the concussion protocols and will struggle to be fit for (the third Test on) Saturday.”

A Baa Baas side composed of northernbased players in the second tier of the Currie Cup took an early 10-3 lead, then conceded four tries before staging a stirring second-half fightback to trail 31-24 approaching the hour mark.

But if Abendanon punished the South Africans in the opening half, fellow tour replacement May proved a scourge in the second as he scored tries after 63 and 70 minutes to turn the tide back in favour of the tourists.

“It was a really physical game,” admitted England captain and lock George Robson, “and a real pleasure to come over here and play. The game could have gone either way until Jonny (May) scored those tries.” Abendanon (three), replacement wing May (two), No 8 Ben Morgan and outside centre Anthony Allen crossed the try-line and England were awarded a penalty try.

Fly-half Charlie Hodgson kicked seven conversions and a penalty.

Scrum-half Shaun Venter grabbed two tries for the Baa Baas and inside centre Joubert Engelbrecht and left wing Deon Scholtz one each while full-back JC Roos kicked four conversions and a penalty.

England complete the tour with a third and final Test against the Springboks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth Saturday, hoping to avoid a whitewash after losing 22-17 in Durban and 36-27 in Johannesburg.—AFP

Springboks make three changes for third test PORT ELIZABETH: South Africa made three changes to its starting 15 yesterday for the third and final test against England, while center Jean de Villiers was appointed captain for the remainder of the season. Coach Heyneke Meyer gave a first test cap to flanker Jacques Potgieter after Willem Alberts was ruled out of Saturday’s game in Port Elizabeth

Jean de Villiers following a knee ligament injury in the Springboks’ 36-27 win in the second test last weekend.

Gio Aplon was in for injured fullback Patrick Lambie, and Wynand Olivier replaced Francois Steyn at inside center because Steyn was getting married this weekend.

Meyer also said De Villiers, who led South Africa to the series victory over England with wins in the first two tests, would remain as skipper in the upcoming Rugby Championship and end-of-year tour to Europe. De Villiers was picked as temporary captain for the England series following the international retirement of John Smit last year but will now lead the Boks for their remaining nine tests in 2012.

“It’s easy working with this team and the help that I’ve received from the other senior players has made my job so much easier,” De Villiers said. “I’m looking forward to working with them for the rest of the year and hopefully we can grow as a team and reach our goal of becoming No. 1 in the world.”

Meyer said De Villiers, South Africa’s most capped center with 74 tests, had established himself as “a brilliant leader.”

The Boks coach also made two changes in the reserves, with flyhalf Elton Jantjies included in a test 22 for the first time and loose forward Ryan Kankowski selected ahead of his Sharks teammate Keegan Daniel. Powerful flanker Potgieter was initially a surprise selection in Meyer’s squad for the England series after playing in only his first season of Super rugby this year. He will make his test debut in his home city of Port Elizabeth.

No. 8 Pierre Spies will play his 50th test as South Africa goes in search of a series sweep at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. South Africa’s other injury worry, lock Juandre Kruger, recovered from a neck problem and was retained in the 15.

England will name its team for the final test on Thursday but will be forced into at least one change from the lineup that fought bravely but fell just short in the second test at Ellis Park.

Captain and flanker Chris Robshaw sustained a cracked right thumb and won’t play.

Hooker Dylan Hartley was chosen to captain the team in his place.

South Africa: Gio Aplon, JP Pietersen, Jean de Villiers (captain), Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Jacques Potgieter, Marcell Coetzee, Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Adriaan Strauss, Werner Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Ryan Kankowski, Ruan Pienaar, Elton Jantjies, Bjorn Basson.—AP

LONDON: Red Bull’s double world champion Sebastian Vettel can end Formula One’s unprecedented streak of seven different winners in the first seven races by extending his own winning run in Valencia this weekend.

The 24-year-old German, winner of the European Grand Prix in 2010 and 2011, is gunning for a hat-trick on the streets of the Spanish Mediterranean port city to become the first repeat winner of a season that has turned into one of the most unpredictable on record.

If predictability is to return to the championship, then Valencia is the right place for it. The driver starting on pole position has won three out of the four races there on a tight and twisty circuit that has acquired a reputation for serving up few thrills and little overtaking.

Vettel has finished off the podium in his last three races, the first time that has happened in the last three years, but reckons the tide has turned.

“We have learned more and will make a step forward in Valencia,” he said after finishing fourth in Montreal this month. McLaren have yet to win in Valencia but championship leader Lewis Hamilton, winner in Canada, is the British bookmakers’ favourite.

Whether he will convert that into two successive victories is anyone’s guess, with all the teams struggling to understand the tyres fully.

“People are always asking me to predict what will happen at the next race and I always tell them it’s really difficult to make an accurate prediction,” said the 2008 world champion who leads Ferrari’s local hero Fernando Alonso by two points.

“But I’ll be heading to Valencia feeling supermotivated to get another strong result and maintain my momentum before we head into Silverstone and the British Grand Prix.”

If there is to be an eighth different winner, then the most likely candidates will be ex-champions Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen or France’s Romain Grosjean.

Seven times champion Schumacher, who has not stood on the podium since he retired from Ferrari in 2006 and then began his comeback in 2010, has a winning car but also a streak of bad luck that Mercedes are desperate to end.

Raikkonen has been on the podium for Lotus but Grosjean, second in Montreal and third in Bahrain in his first full season, has looked more likely to take the big step up.

The Lotus has also thrived in hot conditions.

“I made my Formula One debut here in 2009, so it brings back good memories and it’s a circuit I like anyway,” said Grosjean.”It’s a circuit that could suit us quite well. “If we have a strong weekend from the start then I think we are capable of fighting for a podium or even a win.”

Sauber’s young Mexican Sergio Perez has also

been on the podium twice this season and could have won in Malaysia.

Alonso’s team mate Felipe Massa must also be mentioned as winner of the first race in Valencia in 2008, even if the Brazilian has not been on the podium since 2010 or looked close to doing so this season. He seemed more comfortable in the car in Canada, however. “It’s true, I’m much happier because I can drive the F2012 much more in the way I like now,” he told the team website (www.ferrari.com). “It always puts you in a positive frame of mind coming to a place where you have won before. So, I hope we can have another good weekend this time, especially given the fact our car is now more competitive in the races and also in qualifying.”—Reuters

Red Bull’s double world champion Sebastian Vettel

Olympic challenge: Bike riding through London LONDON: Like a runner or a swimmer, you would need to be physically fit. Like a goalie or a boxer, you should be prepared for close calls. But if you are coming to London’s Summer Olympics - and you have what it takes - using a bicycle could be a great option in a city bracing for gridlock.

Biking in London is not for the average tourist. The British capital can be a cauldron of trucks, buses, black cabs, cars, motorcycles and bikes competing fiercely with one another, especially on major roads during rush hour.

Still, thousands of locals do commute to work on bicycles each day. One reason is a growing number of bike paths, including some along an ancient canal system that is closed to drivers. The city also rents out thousands of bikes on its streets.

“Riding on London’s main roads is not for the faint of heart,” said Dan Stone, 52, an American who lives in central London and regularly cycles there. “But find out-ofthe-way routes and you can see so much more of this amazing city than someone on public transportation.”

London has 15 bicycle maps, including a new one on routes to Olympic Park in eastern London.

Tourists who use them to plan their bike rides could find it faster, cheaper and more fun to travel to the many Olympic venues during the July 27-Aug. 12 games than visitors taking cabs, buses, trains and subways. People who carefully plan their journeys to Olympic venues could also stop at major tourist locations en route such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Oxford Street, the New Tate Museum and Victoria Park.

By contrast, tourists who decide to rent cars will have to pay

London’s 10-pound-a-day ($16) congestion fee, buy gasoline that costs about $10 a gallon and find some way to avoid 30 miles (48 kilometers) of special road lanes all the key routes, basically - that will be reserved for the exclusive use of tens of thousands of Olympic athletes, officials, sponsors and reporters. And good luck finding a parking place.

For those taking public transportation, London’s subways, trains and buses are expected to handle 15 million trips a day during the busiest days of the Olympics, up from a daily average of 12 million. That’s why Olympic organizers are promoting the bike.

A year ago, Mayor Boris Johnson - an avid bike rider - oversaw the creation of the Barclays Cycle Hire program, which has made 8,000 rental cycles available across the city.

For visitors from countries such as the United States, the important thing to remember is which side of the road to ride on - with the traffic, on the left - a key point in a city where an average of 17 bike riders die each year in accidents. Many of London’s bike paths only separate cyclists from drivers with a line painted in the road - one that can suddenly end at intersections and busy roundabouts. Some bike paths are separated from the road by a curb, and others follow the city’s extensive canal network, which is only open to cyclists and walkers. But even the canal system can be a challenge for inexperienced bike riders. There are no barriers on the narrow paths to prevent riders from falling into the water, the surfaces on the paths include dirt and wobbly concrete blocks, and some of the bridges to pass under are so low bikers have to duck their

heads. In some ways, a bike riding novice in London is like a beginning skier in the Alps, according to Lilli Matson, an official with Transport of London - they need to be careful. She suggests newcomers practice riding in safe zones such as London’s Hyde Park.

“It’s a great option,” she said of bike riding through London, which she does every day. “But look at the Web sites for the rules of the road and the precautions to take, especially if you are coming from a different country.”

One option for tourists is to rent the “Boris bikes” - as they are now known. They can be picked up at one docking station and dropped off at another. Short rides are cheap, but the price goes up quickly after that. No one can guarantee there will be a bike available at each docking station or that there will be an empty slot to drop one off when you are finished. Also, there won’t be docking stations near all the Olympic venues in London. A better option may be to rent your own bike and ride the city without having to watch the clock. People who bike to Olympic Park will find 7,000 spaces to safely lock up their wheels.

Many of the eight bike routes to Olympic Park are 4 to 5 miles long (6.5 to 8 kilometers), and the ones that follow the canal system take visitors past houseboats, pubs, parks and reservoirs in areas that have graffiti-covered walls, swanky apartments and everything in between.

One route to the Olympic Park starts at the Tower of London on north side of the Thames River. It passes by historic port pubs such as The Prospect of Whitby - once home to sailors, smugglers and cutthroats. The path then goes

through Shadwell Basin, where expensive apartments designed like dockside warehouses sit on the water’s edge.

Visitors on bikes will able to explore the capital street by street, including East London, a region that tourists often miss. For many years, East London was the epitome of poverty, crime, immigration, crammed public housing and Port of London docks on the Thames.

During World War II, Luftwaffe bombers pulverized the area.

Today, many young Brits consider East Side areas such as Hackney, Shoreditch, Hoxton and Wopping as hipper and more diverse than the west London, which has traditional tourist sites like the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Parliament and the theater district. One of the goals of the Olympics has been to extend the East Side’s gentrification.

“Much of the east side of London retains the feel of a 19thcentury industrial center,” said Stone. “ The buildings, street names, even some of the surviving businesses, evoke a London of a different age. And now the area is peppered with pockets of intensely cool design and technology.”

As the Olympic Games approach, the organizers are rushing to install all the signs that outof-town bikers will need to navigate the trails. But in this sprawling metropolis, where self-defense for bike riders is a must, there also is a sense of camaraderie among cyclists. When I got lost recently navigating a maze of narrow streets and paths near the Thames during evening rush hour, a fellow rider stopped, turned around and led me back to a route I knew in East London. “Cheers,” he said, and before I could thank him, he was gone.—AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

18

S P ORT S

What have we learned so far at Euro 2012?

KIEV: With the end of the group stage, Euro 2012 is more than two-thirds complete, with 24 matches played and just seven left, culminating with the July 1 final in Kiev.

And, like a regular service on a car, this European Championship has provided a neat opportunity to lift up football’s lid, inspect its innards and assess its health.

So, in 12 days between co -host Poland’s opening 1-1 draw on June 8 with Greece to England and Sweden’s victories in the last group games on Tuesday, what have we learned?

PLATINI’S WINNING GAMBLE: Basing the Euros further east than ever before in Poland and Ukraine, to be followed in 2018 by the first World Cup in Russia, feels fresh and new and is helping the sport move beyond divisions dating back to the Cold War, which left much of football’s influence and wealth, best stadiums and future concentrated in the west.

The huge distances some teams traveled from bases in Poland to matches in Ukraine - some 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles) for the Netherlands squad, alone - made Euro 2012 neither environmentally friendly nor logistically easy.

Hooligan brawls before and during Poland’s 1-1 tie on June 12 with bitter rival Russia, and allegations of racist behavior involving groups of so-called fans from Croatia, Spain, Russia and Poland showed football still attracts unwanted followers. Images of men,

some drunk, fighting each other and police in Warsaw recalled rioting in London during Euro ‘96 and at the 1998 World Cup in France.

But pre-tournament fears that Euro 2012 might be dangerous for visitors, par ticularly in Uk raine, because of hooligans and racists appear so far to have been overblown.

Gambling on Poland and Ukraine, new frontiers for the Euros which looked ill-prepared for so long, is paying off for Michel Platini, UEFA’s president. “We can do better, but better is perfection,” Platini said Monday. “It is very, very difficult to do better in this tournament than what we have done.”

STARS SOMETIMES FLOP: Platini, with a record nine goals, including two hat-tricks, at Euro ‘84, and Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane at the World Cups of 1986 and 1998 - to name just three players who more than met expectations - showed that football’s biggest stars can shine on its biggest stages. Still, it’s also amazing how often they don’t.

Two years after they reached the World Cup final, the Netherlands go down as the major flop of Euro 2012.

Premier League top scorer Robin van Persie managed just one goal, Bundesliga top scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar got none. In losing all three group games, the Netherlands’ stars played as if they were looking out for themselves, instead of each other. They went home having proved that even in Dutch there is no ‘I’ in ‘team.’

CRISTIANO RONALDO SHINES: The 2008 world player of the year scored just once at the 2010 World Cup - against lowly North Korea. At Real Madrid, he has at times been eclipsed

by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. After missing goals in Por tugal’s 1-0 loss to Germany and its 3-2 win over Denmark, there were again doubts at Euro 2012 about whether Ronaldo has the bigstage game to match his own inflated sense of self-worth.

But his two goals, his unflagging desire, his physicality and the way he worked for his team that defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in its last group match, advancing Portugal to a winnable quarter final today against the Czech Republic, were awesome. It was the single most impressive performance so far by any player at Euro 2012.

Having led Real Madrid to La Liga title, and with Messi not having a major international tournament to shine at with Argentina this year, Ronaldo could be world player of 2012 if he keeps this up.

TECHNOLOGY, PLEASE! As at the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012 has thrown up another sharp example of why football needs goal-line technology, heaping more embarrassment on bureaucrats in the sport - including Platini - who resist it.

In South Africa, Frank Lampard’s shot for England against Germany crossed the line and should have been awarded.

In Donetsk on Tuesday night, Marko

Devic’s shot for Ukraine appeared to cross England’s line before it was hooked clear by John Terry.

Under Platini, UEFA introduced extra officials to spot such incidents and to ward off pressure for the use of technology that can tell when a ball crosses the goal-line.

But, in this case, both the extra assistant and the referee missed what a machine certainly would have spotted.

Hopefully, Platini’s ears flushed red.

GRUDGE MATCH: All 16 teams at Euro 2012 wanted to do well, but some needed to more than others. For Italy, which meets England in the quarterfinals on Sunday, success at Euro 2012 would offset damage done to its domestic game by the latest Italian match-fixing scandal, which has seen about 50 arrests since last year. For France, a surprise defeat of defending champion Spain in the quarters would help win back French supporters who were disgusted with the national squad after its shameful behavior at the 2010 World Cup, when its stars went on strike and performed abysmally.

As for England, its team arrived with such low expectations that overcoming Italy to reach the semifinals would be such an accomplishment that the famously shor t-tempered British tabloids might even grant a stay of execution for new manager Roy Hodgson.

But no nation needed a dose of football opium as much as the Greeks, to help them momentarily forget their financial misery.

Greece can get some payback on Friday, against Germany. That quarterfinal, pitting Europe’s sickest economy against its largest one, could join the annals of great football grudge matches - like England vs. Argentina or the Netherlands vs. Germany.

Germany has been a major contributor to two multibillion-euro financial rescue packages for Greece but, in return, it also made the Greeks implement tough reforms and spending cuts that have left their economy mired in a deep recession, producing anger and resentment.

After so much doom, gloom and bitter medicine from Berlin, Greece 1, Germany 0 would be oh-so-sweet for Greek fans.

GERMANY TO WIN: But Greece will lose. Of the quarterfinalists, Germany has been the most impressive. Spain’s dependence on Fernando Torres up front will be the world champion’s undoing. Despite his double against Ireland, Torres still doesn’t look reliable for goals. With his Plan B of playing a midfield without a recognized striker, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque seems to be attempting to rewrite the norms of football. The Spanish pass the ball beautifully among themselves but their embroidery doesn’t always look very dangerous.

Not only is Germany the only team that won all its group matches, it looks like it has more goals and victories to come. My tip: Germany, crowned champion on July 1. —AP

Portuguese rally around Ronaldo WARSAW: Portugal have rallied around captain Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of today’s Euro 2012 quarter-final against the Czech Republic here.

It will be the third meeting between the two sides in the last five championships, with each side having won one apiece-the most important belonging to the Czechs in the 1996 quarterfinals on their way to losing to Germany in the final.

Paulo Bento’s Portugal have got where they are thanks to their team ethic and after seeing

“The important thing is that Ronaldo is one of the most professional players I have ever come across,” said midfielder Raul Meireles. “He gives his all at every training session. “He is our leader and, on the pitch, there is no one who wants to win more than him.

“He scored twice in the last match; before he had drawn a blank but he had still helped us out in other ways.” The Czech’s outstanding goalkeeper, Petr Cech, acknowledges the Portuguese are favourites for this match and

POZNAN: Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (second left) trains with teammates at the team’s base camp in Opalenica, on the eve of the Euro 2012 quarter-final football match against The Czech Republic. —AFP Ronaldo finally click into gear in Sunday’s game against the hapless Dutch to score both goals in the 2-1 win.

They have been accused of creating a cult of personality around their 27-year-old captain but the team have circled the wagons in the face of what they see as unjustified criticism.

says the team is made up of more than just Ronaldo.

“They are among the world’s top 10 teams.

It’s a team full of personalities and outstanding players and they play very well. Against the Netherlands on Sunday, they were excellent up front,” said the Chelsea number one. “They also

have enough experienced players. The team has matured and it’s really strong.” Although they are not amongst the overall favourites here, Cech’s club-mate Meireles believes Portugal can emulate Chelsea and shock Europe.

“Chelsea won the Champions League when nobody considered them as favorites,” he said referring to their penalty shootout win over Bayern Munich in May. “When we began this tournament, nobody mentioned Portugal as one of the favorites. “If we manage to do the same (as Chelsea) it will the realisation of a dream.”

They received a boost in their preparations for this match as Real Madrid centre-back Pepe resumed training on Tuesday after sitting it out on Monday with sore ankles.

The news is not so good for the Czechs, though, with captain Tomas Rosicky set to miss out as he struggles to recover from an inflamed Achilles tendon.

“Will he be able to play from the start? I don’t think so,” said Czech team manager Vladimir Smicer. “He hasn’t trained for eight days, only doing some work on a bike.” Rosicky had been receiving treatment in Prague since Sunday but is now back with the squad in Warsaw.

But the Czechs are no strangers to difficulties, not least in this competition which they began by being mauled 4-1 by Russia.

And much-maligned coach Michal Bilek believes the tough times they have endured together has made them stronger. “In those two-and-a-half years, we have always managed to overcome the critical moments-and there have been quite a few,” said the 47-year-old.

Portugal, finalists in 2004 when Ronaldo was the baby of the team, have also showed spirit, having started like the Czechs with a defeat — 1-0 to Germany.

But the cautious Bento, who like Bilek has had his fair share of criticism, dismissed the notion his side are favorites to reach the last four. “We don’t claim to be favorites (against the Czechs) and it won’t be easy. We have to keep up our work and the quality that we have shown so far. Then maybe we can even reach the semi-finals.” —AFP

France put trauma of 2010 behind them KIEV: After the humiliation of the 2010 World Cup, France took another significant step on the road to recovery on Tuesday by qualifying for the quarterfinals of Euro 2012.

Before leaving for Ukraine, France’s mission was to rediscover their status as one of European football’s major powers and win back the fans left disgusted by the conduct of their players in South Africa two years ago.

Despite a mixed bag of results in their group matches - a draw with England, a good win over Ukraine in soggy conditions but then a loss to already eliminated Sweden - they are on their way to fulfilling their objectives.

Qualification for the last eight having been identified as the minimum requirement, Laurent Blanc and his men can now attack the rest of the tournament

knowing that mission has already been accomplished. Since taking the reins in the aftermath of the South African disaster, Blanc has undertaken a vast renovation job, with wide-ranging changes in both personnel and style of play.

Despite a slightly laborious qualification campaign, the results have vindicated his strategy. Against the Swedes France suffered their first defeat in 24 matches, a run stretching back to September 7, 2010. Their list of victims in friendly matches during that period featured heavyweights including England, Germany and Brazil.

But they still needed the validation that only a major tournament can provide. Blanc has succeeded where his predecessor Raymond Domenech had failed in his last two international competitions-Euro 2008 and the 2010 World

Cup-by leading Les Bleus out of the group phase.

France’s return to the European elite is also a breath of fresh air for the French Football Federation. The organisation’s president, Noel Le Graet, has made repairing the damage to France’s reputation, post 2010, one of his principal objectives.Looking at the television viewing figures for France’s first two matches (which each attracted over 10 million viewers), his mission is on track.

The French revival is above all a reward for the methods introduced by Blanc. In a total break with Domenech’s style, ‘the President’ has benefited from the respect afforded him as a former France great and a member of the side that won the 1998 World Cup and the European Championship two years later.

It has enabled him to impose his

views, relaunch the careers of supposed troublemakers such as Samir Nasri, Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Philippe Mexes, and introduce an attacking style of play based on dominating possession.

By leading France into the quarterfinals, Blanc has also secured his own medium-term future at the helm and appears set to lead Les Bleus through the qualification process for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He will meet Le Graet after the Euro to discuss his future but there no longer seems any doubt that he will be offered a contract extension. Sporting concerns aside, Blanc very quickly appreciated the scale of the rupture with the fans before he came in and has done everything to facilitate greater interaction between players and supporters. —AFP

KUFSTEIN: A combination of pictures made on June 20, 2012 shows Greece’s national football team player Giorgios Samaras (left) and Germany’s striker Mario Gomez. Germany will face Greece for the Euro 2012 football championships in Gdansk. —AFP

Germans looking good to end trophy drought WARSAW: Germany look well-placed to end a 16 year trophy drought after becoming the only team to finish the group stage of Euro 2012 with three wins from their three games.

The Germans, who also won all their qualifying games, have been threatening to fulfil the promise shown with two third places finishes at the past two World Cups and beaten finalists in Euro 2008.

With a vibrant attractive style of football and a largely young group of players — even those who have been around since the 2006 World Cup such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and Philipp Lahm are still in their 20’s coach Joachim Loew has the right to dream of emulating the German side that won Euro ‘96.

The Germans face Euro 2004 champions Greece in Friday’s quarter-final and whilst the Greeks have shown terrific spirit to get this far, it is unlikely that the Germans will be as complacent or as wasteful as Russia were in their shock 1-0 defeat on Saturday.

However, the 52-year-old sees areas where his side needs to improve if they are not to end the tournament in anti-climactic fashion.

“We played some good attacking football in the first 20 minutes (the 2-1 defeat of Denmark), but we conceded the equaliser and we lacked urgency,” said Loew after the Germans needed a late winner to beat Denmark.

“We passed the ball around without achieving the degree of pressure I wanted. “We didn’t really attack as well as we wanted to.”We left a few enormous gaps in midfield for the opponent to exploit and I didn’t like that. The solutions are just as clear as the challenges.”

Loew also has reason to be optimistic because defending champions Spain have not yet hit their best form, indeed their smooth passing game has been as hypnotising as ever but the killer touch up front has been lacking save in the 4-0 hammering of a sorry Irish side.

“In football, nobody is invincible. This goes for everyone and nobody believes differently - not the French, the English, not even the Germans,” said Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque. “We can

lose.” The Spanish will play a France side whose 23 game unbeaten record came to a shuddering halt on Tuesday beaten 2-0 by a Swedish side that had already been eliminated but who save for a couple of fatal losses of concentration looked as worthy as the French of reaching the last eight.

There could also be a repeat of the ‘Chelsea experience’ of last season whereby the English club totally disregarded in terms of a potential winner of the Champions League came through to beat Bayern Munich on their home turf to boot on penalties.

Two teams who resemble that scenario coming true are England and Portugal, both of whom arrived at the tournament with very low expectations - the former because of a chaotic run in where they lost a captain and a coach while the latter had a series of poor results.

The English, who are unbeaten in five games under Roy Hodgson the surprise choice to replace Fabio Capello, play an Italy side that also had an underwhelming preparation and which was overshadowed by another matchfixing scandal. Hodgson, who edged out the ‘peoples favourite’ Harry Redknapp for the job, has brought a beguiling and refreshing modesty to the job but can take pride in what he has done so far, though, his ambitions go further than that.

“After Fabio Capello resigned people thought the team wouldn’t have enough time with a new coach to prepare,” Hodgson said. “Luckily we’ve proved that to be wrong. I’m pleased about that.

“Now we are getting good vibrations from those back home. It’s not really a question of expectations. We want to keep going and try and enjoy this tournament for as long as we can.”

The Portuguese - who play an equally resilient Czech side - have looked more and more impressive as the group stage progressed.

They showed character in bouncing back from letting a 2-0 lead slip against the Danes to score a late winner, and then an even better sign for them was the return to scoring form of their star player Cristiano Ronaldo with his double in the 2-1 win over the hapless Dutch. —AFP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

19

SPORTS

Today’s Matche on TV UEFA European Championship

Czech Republic v Portugal 21:45 Al-Jazeera Sport +9 Al-Jazeera Euro

Collina: Ukraine goal should have been allowed WARSAW: Ukraine should have been awarded a goal in its European Championship game against England, UEFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina said yesterday.

“We made a mistake,” Collina said. “I wish we hadn’t made the mistake but we did. Referees are human beings and human beings make mistakes.”

England defender John Terry made a goal-line clearance in the decisive group match in Donetsk on Tuesday, but replays showed the ball was over the line. England led 1-0 at the time and won the match 1-0. Leveling the scores would have put Ukraine in a better position to push for victory and qualify for the quarterfinals.

The additional assistant referee, standing just a few yards from the incident, failed to spot that the ball crossed the line before Terry kicked it clear.

Collina said Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai and his team of assistants would play no further part in the tournament, but no blame was attributed to the referee. He said Kassai would have found himself under too much pressure if he had stayed. “Kassai is one of the best

referees in Europe. He had no responsibility for that decision,” Collina said.

Collina and UEFA executives faced hostile questioning about Tuesday’s decision and the use of goal-line technology, which is being tested by FIFA. UEFA chief Michel Platini has favored using the assistants. Collina rejected Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin’s claim that the ball was half a meter over the English goal-line. “This is not true, there were maybe some centimeters, a few.

But it was wrong. it would be better if it had not been,” he said.

The mistake was the first one by an additional assistant referee in 1,000 European games since the experiment was introduced three years ago, UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino told the news conference. UEFA said that of 302 close decisions made by assistant referees in the 24 matches so far, 289 of them were correct and 13 incorrect, a 95.7 percent accuracy rate.

“That’s a huge result, even though we must still improve,” Collina said. He said 19 goals had been scored because of a decision by an assistant referee, either putting his flag up or keeping it

down. Four goals had been disallowed correctly while one, by a Greek player, should have stood because the attacker’s foot was onside while the rest of his body was offside.

The offside law states that a player is not offside if his or her feet or head parts of the body usually used to score are in an onside position.

Additional assistant referees, a UEFA experiment to try and improve refereeing decisions, had contributed to 16 referees’ decisions at the tournament and 15 of them were correct.

“One was wrong,” Collina said. “It was a human mistake made by a human being. Of course, it would be better if this was not the case.”

Collina, formerly one of the world’s most respected referees, said he disagreed with the decision to prevent the additional assistant referees from being able to indicate their decisions publicly rather than a private spoken conversation with the referee via a closed communication system.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter made his views clear yesterday. “After last night’s match GLT (goal-line technology) is no

longer just an alternative but a necessity,” Blatter wrote on Twitter.

Football’s law-making body IFAB will meet on July 5 and could introduce technology and drop the UEFA-led experiment of additional assistant referees. Eight referees have been selected to stay on at the tournament, with four going home.

Those staying on are Howard Webb (England), Stephane Lannoy (France), Nicola Rizzoli (Italy), Pedro Proenca (Portugal), Craig Thomson (Scotland), Damir Skomina (Slovenia), Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) and Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).

UEFA said Webb will referee the first quarterfinal match between the Czech Republic and Portugal in Warsaw on Thursday. Skomina will referee Germany vs. Greece on Friday, while Rizzoli will work the Spain-France quarterfinal and Proenca the England vs.

Italy game.

Spanish referee Velasco Carballo, who showed two red cards in the opening game of the tournament between Greece and Poland, will take no further part in the tournament.—AP

Goal-line technology a ‘necessity’: Blatter WARSAW: The most powerful man in soccer called goal-line technology a “necessity” yesterday, only hours after Ukraine was denied what appeared to be a legitimate goal in its must-win match against England at the European Championship.

“After last night’s match GLT is no longer an alternative but a necessity,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter wrote on Twitter. Marko Devic’s shot in the 62nd minute of Tuesday’s match looped up off England goalkeeper Joe Hart and appeared to cross the goal line before it was cleared by defender John Terry. The official standing near the post didn’t signal for a goal, leaving the referee no option but to play on. If the goal had been awarded, Ukraine would have pulled even at 1-1. But the co-hosts instead lost 1-0, a result that eliminated them from the tournament.

Ukraine’s players complained furiously, coach Oleg Blokhin raged on the touchline and Twitter was quickly awash with indignation, reaction and opinion on goal-line technology.

The high-profile incident added to the momentum behind providing referees with high-tech aids to make accurate decisions.

UEFA is using Euro 2012 to trial the five-official system that features a referee, two linesmen and two additional assistants beside the goal.

It’s UEFA President Michel Platini’s preferred alternative to goal-line technology.

FIFA will decide on July 5 whether to approve the five-official system and either of the two goal-line technology systems currently being tested in England and Denmark.

Speaking at a media briefing in Warsaw on Monday, Platini said he expects goal-line technology to be approved at the IFAB meeting.

“Yes, Blatter will do it,” Platini said. “He will (introduce) the technology, but I think it’s a big mistake. ... it’s the beginning of the technology, the arrival of the technology.”

There have been a number of memorable goal-line incidents to which critics often hark back whenever a fresh controversy occurs.

The most famous came in the 1966 World Cup final, when Geoff Hurst’s shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced down was ruled a goal. It gave England a 3-2 lead and Hurst later completed his hat trick for a 4-2 win. In a match between the same two countries at the 2010 World Cup, a long shot by England midfielder Frank Lampard bounced down behind goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s line before spinning back out. Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda looked across at his linesman and allowed play to continue. The goal would have made it 2-2, but instead England lost 4-1. Platini said Monday that if an official had been beside the goal that day, he would have spotted that Lampard’s shot crossed the line.

“Of course, because it’s his job to see if the ball is inside the line,” Platini said. Two days later, those words are coming back to haunt him.

Meanwhile, Germany midfielders Sami Khedira and Thomas Mueller have backed calls for goal line technology after Ukraine bowed out of Euro 2012 smarting at being denied an equalising goal against England. Germany face Greece in Friday’s Euro 2012 quarter-finals in Gdansk and the German pair both said they hope the sport sees goal line technology introduced sooner rather than later. Ukraine exited following their 1-0 defeat to England on Tuesday as the co-hosts were denied a second-half equaliser when the referee Viktor Kassai waved on play although replays showed Marko Devic’s shot had crossed the line. As part of an experiment, this is the first European championship to have an assistant referee behind each goal, but there are calls to bring in technology at future tournaments to prevent further errors.

With England leading in Donetsk, Devic was denied a 62nd-minute equaliser although replays later showed England defender John Terry had cleared the Ukrainian’s shot after it crossed the line and all five referees missed it.

“I think everyone has his opinions, but I really think that it can’t hurt,” said Khedira and Mueller agreed: “Fundamentally, technological aids are important and fair. “It’s always bitter (when referees make mistakes), but we are human beings, we make mistakes. There are things that happen to everyone.”

This is not the first time the England team have been involved in a goal line technology controversy after midfielder Frank Lampard was denied a goal in the 4-1 World Cup defeat Round of 16 defeat to Germany two years ago. The disallowed goal in Donetsk did not affect the line-up for the Euro 2012 quarter-finals as England and France qualified event though the Swedes beat the French 2-0 in Kiev. In the quarter-finals, France play defending champions Spain in Donetsk on Saturday while England face Italy in Kiev on Sunday.—Agencies

WARSAW: Referees of the Euro 2012 football championships run during a training session.—AFP

Brilliant goals, performances light up Euro 2012 tournament DONETSK: From the moment Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scored the opening goal of the tournament with a brilliant header against Greece, Euro 2012 has served up one great moment after another during a thrilling group stage.

Superb goals have followed including Mario Balotelli’s volley against Ireland, German Mario Gomez’s first strike against the Netherlands and Jakub Blaszczykowski’s stunning equaliser for Poland against Russia.

The quality remained until the end with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s exquisitely executed volley for Sweden against France arguably the pick of the bunch.

In keeping with the exciting and unpredictable thrills of the first phase, Russia made a dramatic impact with a blistering 4-1 win over the Czech Republic but failed to advance after drawing with Poland and losing to Greece.

The Greeks, shock Euro 2004 winners, caused another surprise, recovering from a draw with the Poles and defeat by the Czechs to beat Russia for their first win since the 2004 final, take an unexpected place in the quarterfinals and ease the euro zone gloom back home.

Neither co-hosts Poland or Ukraine survived the group stage, but still produced memorable moments. The Ukrainian weather also made an impact with a lightning storm forcing the suspension of Ukraine’s match with France in Donetsk for 55 minutes.

Fortunately, most of the drama involved high-quality games in full stadiums and not the expected widespread trouble off the pitch except for fighting before the Poland v Russia match.

Unlike the World Cup in South Africa two years ago which produced plenty of drab uninspiring games, Euro 2012, the last to involve 16 teams before the tournament is expanded to an unwieldy 24 finalists in 2016, has been a fans’ delight.

There was not a single 0-0 draw in the group stage.

Doubts about the co-hosts’ ability to stage the tournament surfaced almost from the day UEFA awarded it to them in 2007, but whatever problems there may have been leading up to kick-off, most of those fears have not materialised. While there have been isolated outbreaks of mainly politically-inspired violence and some racism issues - the major worry for the authorities beforehand Europe’s top players have ensured they have been the ones making the headlines.

Ronaldo, after a slow start, produced the individual

performance of the group phase with two goals - he could have had five - when Portugal beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Sunday.

Ukraine’s Andriy Shevchenko was virtually anointed as a national saint for his double against Sweden in their opening 2-1 comeback win in front of a frenzied Kiev crowd. Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, a prolific scorer for his German club VfL Wolfsburg, announced himself to a wider audience with three goals before Croatia’s unlucky elimination from a group including Italy and world champions Spain.

But proving that footballers can also be at once brilliant and barmy, Nicklas Bendtner scored twice for Denmark in a 3-2 defeat by Portugal, then got a 100,000 euro ($126,800) fine and a one-match ban for revealing the name of a bookmakers on his underpants.

Plenty of other players have done their careers a world of good at the tournament which has highlighted their talent. There have been notable performances from Russian playmaker Alan Dzagoyev, who scored three goals, French fullback Mathieu Debuchy and Dutch defender Jetro Willems who, aged 18 and 71 days, became the youngest player to appear in the finals.

While the Netherlands, beaten World Cup finalists two years ago, will want to forget this tournament as soon as possible after losing all three matches, the eight teams still involved have the quality to make the knockout stage memorable.

Spain, whose tactics include the voguish ‘false No.9’, or withdrawn centre-forward first perfected by Hungary in the early 1950s, have had a nervy campaign but are always dangerous.

The Spanish are still on course to become the first side to win three successive major titles following their victories in Euro 2008 and the World Cup two years ago.

But Vicente del Bosque’s men need to find their old swagger against France to keep that dream alive although the French themselves unconvincingly limped into the last eight following a 2-0 defeat by Sweden.

Germany or Portugal might prove to be the biggest obstacles to Spain reaching that goal but England are also dangerous and their last-eight opponents Italy can never be underestimated.

England, with little expected of them under new coach Roy Hodgson, have shown steely resolve with wins over Sweden and Ukraine to reach the last eight.—Reuters

Europeans get some relief ATHENS: Chancellor Angela Merkel watched Germany weather the storm and emerge with flying colors, while other European countries simply floundered.

Only this time, it wasn’t a test of economic strength in the ailing eurozone. It was the first round of the European Championship - a soccer extravaganza lasting 3 1/2 weeks that dishes out elation and disappointment to millions of people from the Irish Sea to the Chinese border. Just as Germany has enjoyed growth while other eurozone economies have sunk into recession, its team has emerged unscathed from arguably the toughest group at the tournament after beating Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark. However, Germany hasn’t been the only one to prosper at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain may be struggling with waves of government austerity drives, high unemployment and either the prospect or the reality of embarrassing bailouts, but their soccer teams are doing just fine. Among the 17-nation eurozone’s financially troubled nations, only Ireland was sent home this week after failing to reach the quarterfinals. But - just as Irish people have received plaudits for coping so stoically with austerity, their hard-drinking, fun-loving fans have by far been the best of the tournament. Important though the sporting stakes may be, the soccer gods have also proved to have a sense of humor.

Germany will be up against Greece in the quarterfinals in Gdansk, Poland - the biggest contributor to the bailout funds playing against the nation that ignited Europe’s debt woes.

The irony wasn’t lost on the Berliner Kurier newspaper, which printed a cartoon Tuesday of a German government spokesman telling the media that “our stance on Greece remaining in the eurozone depends entirely upon how the quarterfinal goes.”

Germany’s Bild newspaper put it like this: “Be happy dear Greeks, the defeat on Friday is a gift. Against (German coach) Jogi Loew, no rescue fund will help you.” Loew refused to be baited, laughingly telling reporters in Gdansk that the German team has a “close relationship” with Merkel.

“We’ve reached a deal in which she has no say in picking the lineup and tactics and we not in her political statements,” he joked. Here’s a look at some key soccer results in the prism of the eurozone crisis: GREECE 1, RUSSIA 0 For Greeks who have seen their living standards plummet in the debt crisis, their team’s unexpected win against Russia on Saturday night was as much about national validation as sporting prowess. Street celebrations in Athens saw Greeks wrapped in their flag, wearing replica helmets of ancient Greek warriors and waving spears. “Greeks are portrayed as garbage abroad, but at least on the field we’re not,” said 29-year-old high school teacher Alexis Vasiliou.

Greece may be a debt-engulfed country that’s threatening to drag down the entire eurozone, but at least has a soccer team its people are proud of.

“The spectacle offers people an outlet, an escape to leave behind even for 90 minutes this flood of negativity from the crisis,” said Demetris Vestarchis, the owner of Mentor Cafe in the Athens suburb of Thission. “Most Greeks identify with these players who are showing that we’re not dead and gone.”

“What the politicians can’t do for this country, these players have,” said Yiannis Minasian, an unemployed 44year-old. “These guys have heart and guts, something that politicians don’t have.”

ITALY 2, IRELAND 0 Italy scored a goal in each half to reach the quarterfinals but the mood on the streets of the Italian capital was as listless as its hurting economy.

Romans packing a pub near the Campo dei Fiori, a popular square, to follow the match on TV. Afterward, they glumly described the victory as a metaphor for the state of the nation, which is facing concerns it could be the next country after Spain to need an international bailout. “Look around, do you see people celebrating?

No, because although it is a victory, we can only partially feel it,” said Marco Cantelli, a 37-year-old banker. “This team doesn’t even help to forget the crisis. Actually, it makes it worse,” said interior decorator Filippo Bich.

In Dublin, Irish fans walked out of pubs looking disillusioned after their Boys in Green bowed out of the tournament with three straight defeats. Some compared the ineptness of their athletes to the inability of their government leaders to negotiate better bailout terms.

“We’re outgunned on the football pitch and in Europe. We need a win to feel better about ourselves,” said Terry Rafferty, a retired Dublin bank manager.

PORTUGAL 2, DENMARK 1 In Porto, Portugal, fans jumped from bar stools in dismay when their team made mistakes Sunday night. But citizens of this tiny bailed-out country emerged elated and briefly forgot their deep economic misery with communal cries of “Golo!” each time the team scored and finally beat Denmark.

Flag-waving supporters clogged streets with their cars, honking horns as drivers and passengers yelled “Portugal!” over and over. However, fans said the mood was much more subdued than during Euro 2004, which was held in Portugal, when the country’s economy was charging ahead following its adoption of the euro.

After years of overspending, Portugal took a bailout last year and now has high unemployment, recession and harsh austerity measures imposed by creditors.

“We can have a break from the crisis of at least a month with Euro 2012, but I think both are coexisting, the cheerful mood and the crisis,” said Ricardo Teixeira, a 30-year-old doctor. “Our life is completely dominated by the crisis.” Unemployed housekeeper Fatima Santos, 45, watched the game on large-screen TVs in Porto’s main plaza - happy to forget her economic worries for a few hours.

“Right now with the crisis we do what is possible to enjoy life,” she said. “Being depressed isn’t worth it and giving up would be like dying.”

Portuguese rally around Ronaldo

Pistorius, Du Toit in SA Paralympic team

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

Vettel eyes hat-trick to end record F1 run

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EASTBOURNE: Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber plays a shot against Britain’s Jamie Baker during their men’s singles match on the fifth day of the AEGON International tennis tournament.—AFP

Roddick in Eastbourne quarters EASTBOURNE: Three-time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick renewed his grass court confidence with a place in the quarter-finals in Eastbourne yesterday.

The American sixth seed, playing on a wild card after an early loss at last week’s Queen’s Club, defeated Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) to continue his successful debut appearance in this English seaside town.

It was still hard work, with Chardy saving four match points in the 12th game of the second set and two more in the tiebreaker, before Roddick eventually came through with a winning backhand pass to end the contest.

The former world number one, now ranked 33rd, ended a six-match losing streak with his opening win after writing off his claycourt season, which featured three losses in Dusseldorf and one at the French Open. “It was good, I served well and returned pretty well. He served great on big points, but I stuck through there,” said Roddick.

“I’m comfortable on this surface. I started playing really well in practice when I got here. “If you

ask me the reason, I’d give you a blank stare, because I have no idea how this game works and why it works, why all of a sudden I came out and I played three really good sets so far.”

Elsewhere, the exodus of seeds continued, with number two Marcel Granollers of Spain going down 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) to Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin.

Australian fourth seed Bernard Tomic led 5-2 in the final set but could not see out the win as Italy’s Fabio Fognini emerged a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 winner in their second-round contest.

Italian third seed Andreas Seppi is through, however, after beating Carlos Berlocq 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 while Belgian Steve Darcis defeated former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. American Ryan Harrison stopped Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).

In the women’s WTA field, Marion Bartoli reached the quarter-finals as she defeated Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-2, 6-2. The French fourth seed is the highest-ranked survivor in a field which lost the top three women’s seeds on Tuesday

along with men’s number one Richard Gasquet.

The 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli makes no secret of her love for grass as she competes in the pre-Wimbledon tournament for the ninth time in succession.

“I made it easy on myself, I played extremely well,” said the world number nine. “I was feeling my shots very well from the baseline and hitting the ball very hard.”

The holder called her win in 58 minutes one of her best performances on the surface this season as Monday’s start of Wimbledon edges closer.

“This was probably one of the best matches I’ve played on grass overall. I played some great ones last year, and I think this was at the same level.

Hopefully I will be able to keep it this way.”

Bartoli broke Wozniak, a 2009 quarter-finalist, five times. She now faces a quarter-final clash with Czech seventh seed Lucie Safarova, who ousted Britain’s Heather Watson 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.

Laura Robson was next to fall, going out to Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 7-5. German fifth seed Angelique Kerber earned a last-eight spot

through a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of South African Chanelle Scheepers. There was also a win for Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova over American Christina McHale, although she needed two and three-quarter hours to see out a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory.

Meanwhile, world number four Andy Murray suffered a fresh blow to his Wimbledon preparations yesterday as the Scot was beaten by Janko Tipsarevic at an exhibition tournament.

Just hours after being named as the fourth seed in the men’s draw at Wimbledon, Murray slumped to his second successive defeat on grass, losing 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 10-7 against Serbia’s Tipsarevic in The Boodles event at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire.

The 25-year-old British number one, who has reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the last three years, crashed out of the All England Club warm-up event at Queen’s last week after losing to Nicolas Mahut in his first match.

However, Murray insisted he was just happy to get more time on grass and played down the significance of losing to Tipsarevic.

“It’s always good to get matches in before a big

So You Think beats Queen’s Carlton House for victory

Heat one win from NBA title MIAMI: The Miami Heat moved within one win of claiming the NBA title after getting a rousing performance from unheralded guard Mario Chalmers to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-98 on Tuesday for a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

The Heat, who lost last year’s championship in six games to the Dallas Mavericks, closed in on the title by playing with a fierce determination that extended beyond their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

“We’re focused. We’re thinking about Game Five right now,” said Bosh, all business after the exciting victory on their home court.

Stalwarts James and Wade made crucial plays down the stretch, but it was Chalmers who supplied the steady firepower that enabled the Heat to hold off the Thunder, who got a sensational effort from Russell Westbrook, who scored 43 points.

“I just try to step up,” said Chalmers, who shot 9-of-15 from the floor including 4-of-5 in the fourth quarter. “I’ve always been a person to try to step up in big moments, and what bigger moment besides tonight and Thursday to step up.” James, after going to the bench late in the fourth quarter with cramping in his legs, returned to hit a key threepointer that snapped a 94-94 tie and Wade followed with a bold drive to the hoop to put Miami five points ahead.

Lifting the Heat all through the fourth quarter was Chalmers, who scored 12 of his 25 points in the last period.

“Mario Chalmers is a winner, he’s shown it his whole life,” said Wade, who also had 25 points, one fewer than James, who watched the last minute from the bench nursing his aching legs.

“Coach said earlier, ‘keep believing in Mario because he’s due, he’s due for a big game,’ and he came through for us.”

Russell Westbrook single handedly kept the Thunder in the game and finished with 43 points, but made a costly error in the final seconds that denied the Thunder a chance to tie the game.

With 17.3 seconds left and the Heat leading 101-98 with the shot clock set at five seconds for Miami, there was a jump ball called between Udonis Haslem and James Harden.

The tip bounded toward the corner. Instead of allowing Chalmers to gather it and heave a desperation shot to beat the shot-clock, Westbrook fouled him thinking he had to put him on the line to give the Thunder a chance.

Chalmers sank two free throws that effectively clinched the victory for Miami, now one win away from the title with Game Five on their home court on Thursday.

“It was just a miscommunication on my part,” said Westbrook, who early in the fourth quarter made all 13 Oklahoma City points during a stretch in which they rallied back from a seven-point deficit to tie the game 90-90.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks admitted there was confusion over the play at the end, but would not pin the loss on Westbrook’s costly foul.

“It was a tough play. Could have been a communication thing,” said Brooks, who did not huddle the team up to make sure the shot-clock situation was understood.

“I tell our guys, one play does not determine the outcome of a game. There’s 200 plays involved in every basketball game, it doesn’t come down to one play.”

Oklahoma City raced out to a big first-quarter lead and then withstood a Heat comeback to hold a 49-46 lead at halftime.

The Thunder, who suffered from cold starts in the first three games of the series, claimed a 33-19 lead at the end of the first quarter, scoring from inside and out and taking advantage of some poor shooting by the Heat.

But Miami scored the first 13 points of the second quarter to get back into it at 33-32 less than four minutes into the period and waged a tug of war battle right up to intermission.

The Heat kept the pressure up on the Thunder in the third quarter and entered the pressure-packed final stanza with a 79-75 lead.—Reuters

event, especially against a top 10 player so it was a good test,” Murray said.

“I was moving much better than I was a week ago at Queen’s, I wasn’t slipping around as much which will be important for Wimbledon. “I’m hitting the ball very well and practice has been very good over the last few days.

“I’ve got another match here tomorrow (Thursday) and then I’ll spend two or three days at Wimbledon before the tournament starts.”

Murray, still looking to win his first grand slam title, is Britain’s only serious contender for the Wimbledon men’s title, which hasn’t been won by a home player since Fred Perry lifted the trophy in 1936. Although Wimbledon could be slightly overshadowed by the conclusion of Euro 2012 and the build-up to the London Olympics, Murray is well aware he will be under the microscope during the two weeks of his home grand slam.

“Every year it makes no difference to me whether a big football competition or the Olympics is on,” Murray said. “It’s the same because I always put pressure on myself to do well.—AFP

MIAMI: Heat Chris Bosh (center) goes to the hoop against Oklahoma City during Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 19, 2012 at the American Airlines Arena.—AFP

ASCOT: So You Think went some way towards justifying his exalted reputation in Australia when he accelerated away from the Queen’s runner, Carlton House, to win the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday.

The six-year-old, ridden by Joseph O’Brien for his father Aidan, atoned for his narrow defeat in the same race 12 months ago in posting a two and a quarter length verdict, with Carlton House just holding the late flourishes of Farhh and last year’s French Derby winner Reliable Man for the minor berths respectively. It was So You Think’s fifth triumph in a championship race-and tenth in all-since he transferred from Bart Cummings to O’Brien’s Irish stable 20 months ago. And O’Brien felt it was his best performance. “We are delighted to get him back to where Bart had him in Australia,” the trainer said. “We felt he was in a place where he has never been since he came to us, and I’m sorry it took so long for us to get him to his best. He is one of those special horses.” On another day of glorious sunshine at the royal racecourse, O’Brien expressed his sentiments within the shadow of So You Think’s imminent departure from his stable.

The Southern Hemisphere champion is due to return to Australia next month, when he will take up stallion duties. Before that, he is likely to contest the Eclipse Stakes in Britain on July 7.

John Magnier, the Coolmore Stud lynchpin who engineered the purchase of a half-share in So You Think in September 2010, felt it had taken time to get the best from a horse that switched hemispheres halfway through his racing career.

“They are hemispheres with completely different environments, and the horse has been with two different trainers,” Magnier reflected. “We have had to learn a lot about him, and him about us, but the time has come for him to go to stud.”

Magnier also alluded to mixed emotions as So You Think galloped down the centre of the course to collar the royal runner, which finished third in last year’s Derby at Epsom. “What can you do?” he asked metaphorically. “It isn’t an easy one, but I’m sure (the Queen) is happy that we are all here.”—AFP

Japan, China to import Iran oil after EU ban Page 22

Brent oil slips, Europe worries weigh on prices Page 24

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

Europe bets on closer ties to beat euro crisis

Euro-zone under pressure to speed up integration Page 25

PAGE 23

Gulf banks eye EU rivals’ Mideast assets European lenders shrinking back due to crippling crisis DUBAI: As struggling European banks scale back their worldwide operations, cash-rich Gulf lenders see a chance to expand by snapping up the Middle East assets of European rivals at attractive prices.

After years of building operations in the fast-growing Middle East and North Africa region, European lenders are shrinking back due to a crippling debt crisis at home and the need to raise capital to meet regulatory requirements.

Gulf banks are keen to seize an opportunity as profitable businesses from Turkey to Egypt have been put on the block by European banks at a time when valuations are near multi-year lows due to the volatility in financial markets.

“There is a lot of pressure on the international banks to divest noncore assets and focus on their domestic operations due to the euro zone crisis,” said Jon Breach, Dubai-based chief executive of BDO Corporate Finance Middle East.

“Undoubtedly, for regional banks (in the Gulf ) that provides a natural opportunity to consolidate and grow. You can see clear logic for that.”

BNP Paribas, France’s biggest listed bank, is planning to sell its retail banking operations in Egypt as it seeks to shore up its capital base and exit non-core operations, two banking sources told Reuters this month. Piraeus Bank, Greece’s fourth-biggest lender, is planning to sell its Egyptian arm and as many as five Middle Eastern institutions have bid for the $200 million stake, sources told Reuters in April.

Piraeus, one of four stricken Greek banks that recently received capital injections to help them overcome the effects of the country’s debt crisis, was not immediately available for comment.

Standard Chartered Plc pulled out of the sale process last year citing political instability in the North African country, but Gulf banks remain keen to establish themselves there.

“Most of the Gulf banks have their operations confined to their respective states which have limited opportunities for rapid growth at higher base,” said Joice Mathew, head of research at brokerage United Securities in Muscat.

“Branching out to familiar and neighboring regions like Egypt, Turkey is a sensible option given the quality of assets being put up for sale by the European lenders.

Deposit growth has been on the rise and in the absence of enhanced lending options, it’s logical to put that low-cost excess liquidity on acquisitions.”

First-quarter profits of around 20 Gulf banks covered by Kuwait’s Global Investment House rose 18 percent year-on-year, thanks to strong balance sheet growth and lower provisioning, according to the brokerage. Those banks’ deposit base grew 6.2 percent in the quarter, Global said, but some banks are seeing much bigger deposit growth, helped by oil-driven inflows.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi saw customer deposits jump 24 percent in the first quarter to 187.7 billion dirhams ($51.1 billion). Q a tar National Bank (QNB) whose profits rose 32 percent in 2011, saw a 21 percent increase in customer deposits in the first quarter.

QNB, Qatar’s largest lender, was the prime contender to buy Belgian lender Dexia’s Turkish arm DenizBank but recently lost out on the deal, worth up to $3.9 billion, to Russia’s Sberbank in a highly competitive auction process.

Kuwait’s Burgan Bank, the commercial banking arm of Kuwait’s biggest investment firm, had more success, reaching a deal in April to buy Greek lender EFG Eurobank’s Turkish arm for $355 million.

Burgan bought the stake at book value without any significant premium, signalling pricing may favor the buyer in such deals. “It is a buyer’s market right now and the premise is that emerging markets will continue to grow,” Phil Gandler, regional head of transaction advisory services at consultants Ernst & Young in Riyadh, said.

“If you look at some of the assets being put on the block, they are great assets generating a lot of value.”

Countries such as Turkey, which targets 4 percent economic growth this year despite the global slowdown, are seen as more resilient to economic woes in neighboring European countries but gaining a banking license there is extremely difficult, leaving acquisitions as the only way to establish a presence. “ We see a lot of interest for Turkish assets. Given all the issues in Europe, it’s the perfect proxy for Gulf banks seeking growth opportunities,” said a senior Dubai-based banker speaking on condition of anonymity.

QNB, which has embarked on an aggressive expansion strategy recently, may be eyeing BNP’s Egyptian retail operations, one banking source said, adding any talks are likely to be in the initial stages. QNB was not available for comment. In April, QNB agreed to increase its stake in Iraq’s Mansour Bank to 51 percent from 23 percent.

It also acquired a 49 percent stake in Libya’s Bank of Commerce and Development as part of its expansion plan. — Reuters

Kuwait stocks edge lower, Gulf steady ahead of Fed MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS KUWAIT/DUBAI: Kuwait’s benchmark slipped 0.5 percent, edging back towards Thursday’s four-month low before the country’s constitutional court dissolved the parliament.

The court said parliamentary elections held in February, which gave the opposition a majority, were void and decided to restore the previous assembly. “The old parliament being reinstated is likely to benefit the private sector. I expect to see some positive reaction in the market,” said Talal Al-Hunaif, senior investment analyst at Coast Investment and Development Company. “The country is suffering from constant political unrest and we saw no positive effect on the market since the new parliament was elected.” Gulf bourses were steady yesterday in muted trading as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a statement from the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, with some hoping for further monetary stimulus to counter faltering economic growth.

SINGAPORE: A general view shows the Marina Bay financial centre in Singapore yesterday. The euro weakened in Asian trade yesterday as euro-zone fears continued to weigh, while traders looked to a US Federal Reserve policy meeting for signs of further stimulus. — AFP

Saudi Arabia’s bourse gained for a fourth straight session, up 0.3 percent, from Saturday’s 12-week intra-day low.

Insurance stocks rallied with the sector’s index rising 2.1 percent. Investors bet on small-cap insurance stocks amid global uncertainty.

Saudi Integrated Telecom closed 2.9 percent higher after a near three-month suspension was lifted. The company addressed issues raised in an auditor’s report on its 2011 financial results, a bourse statement said.

The overall index closed at 6,838.05 points. “In the shortterm, we’ll stay around the 6,800 levels until we see results for Q2,” said Hesham Tuffaha, head of asset management at Bakheet Investment Group.

“Even if we see a worse situation in global equity indices, our market could go down only to 6,600. We have to remember that corporates are still recording growth, we’re not seeing declines and as yet, there hasn’t been a cut in Saudi oil production.” Brent crude oil fell yesterday, pinned near 17-month lows, hit by worries over Spain’s high borrowing costs and prospects for global demand growth. But world shares rose ahead of the Fed meeting results.Elsewhere, UAE bourses ended mixed and Qatar closed near-flat with investors little moved by the prospects of a possible upgrade to emerging market status by index compiler MSCI. The results of the review are expected early today. The two countries, classified as frontier markets by MSCI, have been seeking an upgrade for the past three years. A boost to emerging market status could attract renewed interest in the markets from long-term investors and global fund managers.

Dubai slipped 0.2 percent, down for a second session this week but still up 9.1 percent year-to-date. In Doha, the index eased 0.08 percent, down 5.4 percent year-to-date, the worstperforming Gulf Arab market.

“Qatar Exchange, along with the QFMA (Qatar Financial Market Authority), has taken several key steps in order to comply with MSCI requirements... but we still have the foreign ownership limits (FOL) issue,” said Ahmed Shehada, head of trading at QNB Financial Services.

MSCI said last year that Qatar’s 25 percent FOL would stop it being upgraded and these have not changed. “I’m personally bearish, but it will all depend on how badly asset managers really want the Qatar inclusion,” Shehada added.

In Egypt, the main index rose 0.5 percent, recouping intraday declines and snapping a four-day losing streak. Political turmoil had pushed the index down 8.1 percent over the past week to its lowest in almost five months. In the last few days, the country’s new parliament was dissolved, the drawing up of the new constitution stumbled as politicians argued, and both candidates declared victory in last week’s presidential election run-off.

“It’s only the political situation that is affecting what’s going on in the market,” said Omar Ascar of Cairo Capital Securities. The election committee is due to announce on Thursday whether ex-military man Ahmed Shafik or the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsy won the run-off presidential vote. — Reuters

ANHUI: Newly graduated Chinese students gather for a convocation ceremony at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei in east China’s Anhui province yesterday. A record 6.8 million Chinese students, most of them born in 1990, are graduating from Chinese colleges this summer, as increasing number of graduates find it tough to get the right job because there are not enough openings for graduates in the major cities. — AFP

22

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

BUSINESS

Japan, China to import Iran oil after EU ban Efforts to circumvent EU ban gather pace TOKYO: At least two of Asia’s four top buyers of Iranian crude will keep imports flowing, though at overall reduced rates, as they find ways around an EU ban on insuring tankers carrying the Islamic country’s oil.

Asia needs oil to feed growing demand and top consumers are reluctant to entirely halt imports from Iran and depend entirely on top exporter Saudi Arabia, especially given that output from other alternative suppliers such as Libya and Iraq has not stabilized. Japan has secured a parliament approval that allows the government to provide insurance cover, while China is asking Iran to take on the risk and deliver the crude on their ships.

South Korea and India have yet to find a way out.

Together, Japan and China have nominated loadings for as many as 620,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil next month, sources said yesterday. A year ago, the Islamic Republic was selling around two-thirds of its crude exports, or roughly 1.45 million bpd, to these four Asian buyers.

In less than two weeks, the four Asian buyers who are Iran’s biggest customers will lose access to European insurers that cover 95 percent of the world’s tankers for oil spills and collisions, as western countries seek to curtail Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

India’s government, which has won an exemption to US sanctions, has been trying without success to figure out how it will get around the EU sanctions. South Korea will halts imports due to the insurance ban, industry sources have said. Seoul, like Tokyo, has lobbied the EU to delay or get a waiver on implementing the ban on insurers.

It is not considering state guarantees, according to government sources.

Those lobbying efforts have so far failed. The European Union will not cancel or delay the embargo on Iranian oil tankers, EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said at an industry conference a week ago.

The International Energy Agency said last week that Iran’s crude exports in April and May have fallen by 1 million bpd since the end of 2011 to 1.5 million bpd and that Tehran may need to shut in production. Worries about a supply disruption from Iran had boosted oil prices to a high of over $128 a barrel In March. Prices have come off those highs, and are nearly down 25 percent in part due to increased supplies by Saudi Arabia and concerns about a slowdown in the global economy.

Unipec, the trading arm Sinopec Corp, requested Iran to deliver Julyloading crude cargoes to Chinese ports, sources said. One source estimated Sinopec will lift about 500,000

power stations after the Fukushima disaster shut the country’s nuclear capacity, nominated loadings of 120,000 bpd for both June and July, sources said, unchanged from May. Japan’s biggest buyers of Iranian oil, Showa Shell Sekiyu KK and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp, are to load a total of four vessels in June, steady from May, with shipments arriving this month and next, traders said yesterday. Showa Shell is Japan’s top buyer of Iran oil this month, they added. Neither company would comment on their oil dealings with Iran.

Japan’s law on covering shipments will take effect on June 27, a government official who requested anonymity said on Tuesday. Overall crude oil imports rose about 7 percent in May from a year earlier, government data showed yesterday. Iranian oil accounted for nearly 9 percent of Japan’s crude imports last year. Japan has reduced the flow already to comply with US sanctions requiring buyers to make sizeable cuts, but wants to avoid more drastic reductions that could drive up energy impor t costs and hur t the world’s third-largest economy. It is the first time Japan has sought to provide guarantees on marine shipments, an official in the country’s transport ministry, which sponsored the legislation, said earlier. — Reuters

bpd for July, a level similar to the average amount the top Asian refiner bought from Iran last year.The Unipec request suggests that China hasn’t worked a permanent way to cover China-flagged tankers which have been transporting at least part of the Iranian oil.

“Short-term this may work, but that is not a long-term solution. The government needs to come up with a plan soon to coordinate on this matter,” said an industry official.

China is the only major buyer that hasn’t got an exemption from US financial restrictions on doing business with Iran. A senior Chinese oil executive told Reuters last week that the European insurance ban would not pose a problem, and that Iran delivering the crude on its own tankers would be one of the options. The executive also said Sinopec has since April been lifting a steady amount of Iranian oil versus last year, although for the whole of 2012 the refiner would import 16-20 percent less than 2011.

Japan has been able to continue with the imports as the country’s parliament yesterday approved an unprecedented law that allows Tokyo to provide cover of up to $7.6 billion for incidents involving tankers bringing Iranian oil to the country.

Japan, which needs more oil to fire

Zain Jordan pumped $1bn into country’s markets AMMAN: Zain Jordan, subsidiary of Kuwait’s Zain Group, has pumped into the country’s markets $1 billion worth of investments in the past 16 years, Zain’s CEO Ahmad Al-Hanandeh said yesterday.

Al-Hanandeh told KUNA that Zain has allocated $120 million, for the year 2012, to develop and expand its internet and optical fiber networks. It also spent $42 million, in the first quarter of 2012, to complete its wired broadband network.

Zain’s investments have yielded $1.8 billion into the country’s budget since the establishment of the mobile telecommunication company until 2011, Al-Hanandeh noted. By the end of 2012, Zain’s networks would expand ever further to cover 99.9 percent of inhibited areas. Data usage increased 60 percent in 2011 compared to that of 2010, especially, after the launch of Zain’s HSPA+ services. In March 2011, meanwhile, broadband database has drastically jumped from 8 percent at 37 percent.

The company ’s subscribers have exceeded 2.9 million, out of the country’s population of 6.5 million, in the first quar-

ter of 2012, Zain’s CEO noted. He further said that the company has been connected to optical fiber networks to provide better performance for its customers. In the next phase of the company’s future would involve creating more service to the public and making more partnerships with other companies. Since customers tend to use the internet more often than voice services, he stressed the next focus would be in developing the internet services to create more resources of income for the company.

Furthermore, Al-Hanandeh highlighted some of the challenges that face the telecommunication sector such as competiveness in prices and services.

Therefore, he empathized that there is a dire need to keep up with the latest technology used is the field of telecommunication by providing for the public the latest smartphones, tablets and the cheapest internet data plans. In 1995, Zain Jordan was the first to introduce mobile services in the country. In September 2012, it celebrated 16 years of its establishment. — KUNA

CINCINNATI: The Procter & Gamble Co headquarters building in Cincinnati.

Procter & Gamble Co yesterday lowered its fourth-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts, hurt by unfavorable foreign exchange rates, continued slow growth in developed markets and a slowdown of growth in China. —AP

News

in brief

NBQ wins delay in Global case DUBAI: National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain (NBQ), a bank in the United Arab Emirates, said yesterday it had won a delay in a $250 million judgment against it in a case involving Kuwaiti group Global Investment House. The sum was placed with NBQ in August 2008 as the first part of Global’s purchase of a 20 percent stake in the bank through a 2.36 billion dirham ($643 million) convertible bond issue. As markets slumped in late 2008 and Global faced debt problems which forced it into a restructuring, it cancelled the planned purchase and asked for the money back. But NBQ said it was entitled to keep it. In May this year, a Dubai appeals court ordered NBQ to pay Global the money plus $79 million interest. A court of cassation in Dubai has now suspended enforcement of that judgment until Sept. 4 when another appeal by NBQ will be heard, the bank said yesterday. Global is negotiating its second debt restructuring in three years. Having completed a $1.7 billion rescheduling in 2009, it said last September it would ask creditors to halt repayments while it sought a new deal.

Arkan secures $381m loan DUBAI: Arkan Building Material Company has secured a 1.4 billion dirham loan ($381.16 million) from mainly local banks to refinance existing debt and fund new projects, it said yesterday. The new loan carries a 6-1/2 year maturity and was provided by a group of lenders including First Gulf Bank, Union National Bank and Emirates NBD, the statement said. It did not provide any details on pricing for the loan but said it would lead to “significant savings in interest cost for Arkan over the repayment period of the loan.” The company, which is 51-percent-owned by Abu Dhabi’s General Holding Corporation, a fully government-held entity, plans to launch three new business units in the next three years including a cement factory and lime plant, the statement said.

Oman CB board term extended DUBAI: The terms of members of Oman’s central bank board have been extended by a further five years without any changes, a senior central bank official said yesterday. “There are no changes at all. The same board members were renewed by the royal decree,” Hilal AlBarwani, vice president in charge of banking oversight at the central bank, told Reuters. Oman’s ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said remains the board’s chairman, while Ali bin Mohammed bin Moosa stays as his deputy.

Other members include Yahya al-Jabri, Sultan Al-Habsi, who represents the finance ministry, Hamood Sangour al-Zadjali, who serves as the central bank’s executive president, Mohsen bin Haider bin Darwish, and Hatim al-Shanfri, state news agency ONA reported. The board’s new term started on June 11. Oman, a small non-OPEC oil exporter, pegs its rial currency to the US dollar along with most Gulf Arab crude producers. That limits the flexibility of the central bank’s policy as it needs to keep policy rates close to US benchmarks to avoid excessive pressures on the peg.

DP World refutes Yemen charge DUBAI: DP World, the Dubai-government owned port operator, said allegations it had failed to meet its obligations in running Yemen’s Aden container port were ‘misleading and unfounded.’ The impoverished country’s anti-corruption body said on Tuesday it would ask parliament to cancel the deal with the world’s third largest port operator, saying it had failed to carry out investment projects on time. “DP World rejects such unfounded and misleading accusations. We have met all contractual commitments with respect to the Aden port operations,” the company, one of the profitable units of indebted state-owned conglomerate Dubai World, said in a brief emailed statement yesterday.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4360000 .3510000 .2920000 .2720000 .2820000 .0040000 .0020000 .0757020 .7375400 .3830000 .0710000 .7230260 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2781000 GB Pound/KD .4375350 Euro .3529510 Swiss francs .2939280 Canadian dollars .2733570 Danish Kroner .0474870 Swedish Kroner .0399200 Australian dlr .2835920 Hong Kong dlr .0358410 Singapore dlr .2193910 Japanese yen .0035200 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0757460 Bahraini dinars .7379590 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0741800 Omani riyals .7226190 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.553 5.072 3.053 2.141 3.173 220.090 36.173 3.425 6.439 8.876 89.338

.2825500 .4450000 .3590000 .3010000 .2810000 .2920000 .0070000 .0035000 .0764630 .7449530 .4010000 .0770000 .7302930 .0072000 .0500000 .2817000 .4431990 .3575200 .2977330 .2768960 .0481020 .0404370 .2872640 .0363050 .2222310 .0035660 .0050510 .0021310 .0030000 .0034560 .0767260 .7475120 .3984440 .0751400 .7319730 .0067350

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.883 77.158 729.380 745.850 76.464

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.250 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.466 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.309 Tunisian Dinar 176.65 Jordanian Dinar 396.190 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.884 Syrian Lier 4.899 Morocco Dirham 32.64 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 280.700 Euro 354.52 Sterling Pound 441.820 Canadian dollar 274.79 Turkish lire 152.400 Swiss Franc 295.01 US Dollar Buying 279.500 GOLD 293.000 148.000 75.250

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

48.300 727.570 3.130 6.820 77.480 74.790 222.230 36.180 2.668 444.000 41.100 299.200 4.300 9.260 198.263 76.370 280.500 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,706.290

Sterling Pound US Dollar

727.390 2.993 6.660 77.050 74.790 222.230 36.180 2.113 442.000 297.700 4.300 9.120 76.270 280.100

COUNTRY

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 442.000 280.100

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

288.900 744.910 3.660 278.500 550.100 45.700 48.700 167.800 47.990 359.100 36.800 5.200 0.032 0.160 0.235 3.650 396.950 0.190 91.890 44.500 4.310 226.400 1.815

287.400 744.910 3.420 277.000

222.200 46.330 357.600 36.650 5.010 0.030

SELL DRAFT

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

283.26 277.39 298.34 355.83 280.25 438.67 3.61 3.428 5.027 2.127 3.155 2.978 76.37 746.22 46.37 399.27 729.38 77.39 74.94

SELL CASH

283.00 277.00 295.00 356.00 281.50 438.00 3.65 3.550 5.200 2.400 3.700 3.200 77.00 746.00 47.75 397.50 732.50 77.75 75.25

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 396.900 0.188 91.890 3.150 224.900

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

280.000 278.235 441.295 355.410

Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

295.990 741.285 76.210 76.855 74.625 394.140 46.352 2.110 5.011 2.987 3.422 6.640 686.835 4.545 8.980 5.895 3.220 88.355

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar 280.000 Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro 360.600 Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

2.980 5.019 2.115 3.419 6.685 76.335 74.820 744.400 46.272 448.800 2.990 1.550 280.500 3.190

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

279.800 357.400 441.850 276.800 3.580 5.005 46.280 2.112 3.425 6.640 2.975 744.500 76.200 74.700

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

BUSINESS

Investors playing it safe ahead of Fed statement NEW YORK: Major stock markets and the euro were treading water yesterday as investors waited to see if the US Federal Reserve would announce new stimulus measures to revive a flagging economy. Signs that Europe’s leaders were making progress on a long-term plan to resolve the continent’s debt crisis also eased some pressure on Spanish and Italian government bonds. The main focus for investors around the world, though, is the Fed, which is expected to announce an extension of its bond-buying program known as “Operation Twist” later today.

A slower pace of US hiring and signs that Europe’s nearly three-yearold debt crisis is depressing business activity have raised hopes of more help from the Fed. “ There is a pretty high level of uncertainty as to what they are going to do,” said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer of Hugh Johnson Advisors LLC in Albany, New York.

“The consensus is they are going to

extend Operation Twist but it is by no means a certainty and everybody wants to wait and see what the decision is going to be.”

That uncertainty caused US stocks, which had racked up four days of gains coming into trade yesterday, to open slightly lower. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 13.85 points, or 0.11 percent, at 12,823.48.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 2.05 points, or 0.15 percent, at 1,355.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 3.46 points, or 0.12 percent, at 2,926.30.

Jeremy Stretch, head of currency strategy at CIBC World Markets, warned that markets could tumble if the Fed deviates from the script.

“There are expectations that the Fed will at least extend ‘Twist’ ... that is pretty much baked in,” he said. “So there is a risk of disappointment if the Fed does not do anything.”

The MSCI global equity index pared earlier gains and was last up 0.1 on the

day while the FTSE Eurofirst 300 index of top European shares was unchanged after hitting a one-moth high in the previous session.

The 30-year benchmark US Treasury bond was down 28/32 to yield 2.78 percent after starting the month at a low of 2.53 percent. The benchmark 10-year note was down 14/32, with the yield at 1.67 percent.

The pressure in sovereign debt markets was also easing on signs that euro- zone leaders were making progress on easing an ongoing debt crisis. At a Group of 20 meeting in Mexico they said they were aiming to hammer out a plan next week to integrate the region’s banking sectors.

A banking union would be a major step, long pressed for by the United States and other nations, in breaking the cycle of debt-laden countries bailing out their troubled banks only to find themselves even deeper in debt.

A proposal to use the euro-zone’s new rescue fund, due to come into

force next month, to buy the debt of stricken euro-zone countries like Spain and Italy was also to be discussed at a meeting of euro finance ministers today.

Spain’s 10-year government bond yield, a gauge of the compensation investors demand to lend to the government, fell 27 basis points to 6.93 percent, with the equivalent Italian yield falling to 5.84 percent. A report that some hedge funds are positioning for a big turnaround in the Bund market after yields reached record low levels added to selling in German bonds, pushing the 10-year yield up five basis points to 1.58 percent.

The euro rose fractionally to trade around $1.27, adding to gains of nearly 1 percent in the previous session and within sight of a one-month high of $1.2748 hit on Monday.

The euro also gained some support from reports that Greek conservatives had succeeded in forming a coalition government. It will now try to per-

suade foreign lenders to allow more leeway in pushing through a deeply unpopular austerity program.

The dollar, meanwhile, was weaker on expectations of more Fed easing, though some said that probably won’t last. “The weakness in the dollar is understandable but once that speculation is out of the way, and we know what the Fed is going to do, concerns about the euro zone will come back to the fore,” said Simon Derrick, head of currency research at Bank of New York Mellon.

Commodity markets were also watching for the outcome of the Fed meeting. Any stimulus could boost demand for a wide range of materials and enhance the role of precious metals as a hedge against inflation.

Spot gold fell $12.60, or 0.8 percent, to $1604.80 but remained not far from its 2012 high of around $1,790 set in February when the Fed said it would keep interest rates near zero until the end of 2014. — Reuters

Europe bets on closer ties to beat euro crisis Seed of pan-European recovery planted: IMF

NEW YORK: Specialist Michael O’Mara (left) and trader James Kushner (second from right) work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Stocks edged lower early yesterday after investors saw signs that economies could be slowing down in both the West and China. —AP

Appetite strong for Saudi IPOs despite global woes DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s market for initial public offers of shares has been the strongest in the Gulf for the last two years, and with the fifth new listing of 2012 coming up next week, analysts expect a bullish reception despite weak global equity markets. A surge by Saudi Arabia’s stock market early this year showed confidence in the local economy. The benchmark rallied 31 percent between November and April while daily trading turnover soared, hitting levels not seen since 2007, as investors shifted money from other asset classes.

Although the stock market has now dropped 14 percent from this year’s peak, tracking recent weakness in global equities and oil prices, investors are still positive about corporate earnings growth in coming months, and this should support appetite for new listings.

“As long as we have a positive outlook for corporate results, there will be over-subscription to IPOs,” said Hesham Tuffaha, head of asset management at Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group.

“We’ve seen 10 to 20 percent growth (in corporate earnings)on average recently, and people are assuming that the growth will continue for the coming year.”

Tokio Marine Saudi Arabia, an affiliate of the Japanese insurance firm, will start trading on June 24 as Alinma Tokio Marine. The IPO was nearly 12 times oversubscribed during the six days of the offer, raising 690 million riyals ($184 million), lead underwriter Alinma Bank said in March.

Meanwhile the catering unit of Saudi Arabian Airlines is seeking to raise 1.3 billion riyals by floating 30 percent of its shares, becoming the first part of the state-owned Saudi flag carrier to be listed on the stock market. The IPO will close on June 24; a date for listing the shares has not yet been announced.

A worsening global growth outlook, and its impact on oil prices, are the biggest potential threat to the appetite for IPOs. Brent crude oil is around $95 per barrel, near its lowest level since January 2011 and down from levels above $120 early this year. But while Saudi economic growth may slow from last year’s red-hot 6.8 percent, oil remains far above the price at which Riyadh can balance its state budget, which analysts estimate at around $76 per barrel. So the government is expected to be able to continue spending heavily to support growth, which some economists think may be in the 4 percent area this year - still a healthy level.

“Saudi Catering should be oversubscribed based on the current situation...but we don’t know how much the market will deteriorate amid the global conditions,” said Tuffaha. “The main impact is from oil prices but even if we see a bit more decline there, it’s manageable because they skyrocketed since 2008.”

Late last month, Saudi Arabia’s Al Tayyar Travel raised 1.37 billion riyals from an IPO of 30 percent of its shares, which priced at the top of their indicative range. The offer was 6.1 times oversubscribed. — Reuters

US trade bill ‘not a gift’ for Russia: Kirk WASHINGTON: The top US trade official yesterday urged Congress to quickly approve legislation to improve trade ties with Russia, unencumbered by human rights requirements, saying it was vital to keep US exports competitive in the Russian market.

“Authorizing the president to provide permanent normal trade relations is not a gift to Russia,” US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in testimony to the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. Taking that action would ensure that US companies “have the opportunity to enjoy all of the benefits” of Russia’s upcoming entry into the World Trade Organization, which is expected by Aug. 22, Kirk said.

Kirk urged Congress to pass a “clean bill that enables us to maintain our competitive edge,” in reference to the desire of many lawmakers to attach human rights legislation.

Trade relations between the United States and Russia have been governed since 1974 by a human rights provision known as the Jackson-Vanik amendment.

That provision made favorable US tariff rates for Russian products conditional on the rights of Jews and o ther religious minorities t o emigrate freely.

There is wide recognition that emigration is no longer a problem in Russia, but many US lawmakers are loathe to repeal Jackson-Vanik for Russia without replacing it with new legislation to pressure Moscow on human rights.

The White House task of persuading Congress to approve permanent normal trade relations

(PNTR) is also complicated by Russian support for the Syrian government of Bashar Al-Assad.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns told the panel the Obama administration had “serious concerns about democracy and human rights in Russia,” but the time had come to establish PNTR by repealing the Jackson-Vanik provision.

“On Syria, our message to our Russian colleagues has been clear and consistent.

Assad’s campaign of terror against his own people is unconscionable. It is past time for action to meet our obligations as UN Security Council members to protect peace and security and allow the Syrian people to pull their country back from the brink and embark on a political transition,” Burns said.

A Senate panel on Tuesday postponed by one week a vote on a measure that would penalize Russian officials for human rights abuses, a bipartisan bill opposed by Russia and facing resistance from the Obama administration.

That measure is named for a 37-year-old anti-corruption lawyer who worked for the equity fund Hermitage Capital in Moscow. His 2009 death after a year in Russian jails spooked investors and blackened Russia’s image abroad. It would require the United States to deny visas and freeze the assets of Russians linked to Magnitsky’s death, as well as those of other human rights abusers in Russia. It passed a House committee this month, but no action has been taken in the Senate. — Reuters

LOS CABOS, Mexico: European leaders scrambled to buy themselves time in the battle to save the euro-zone yesterday, promising their G20 partners they would integrate their banking sector and restart growth.

Backed by key EU members including Germany, France and Britain, the pledges came at the end of two days of talks between the Group of 20 powers in the Mexican beach resort of Los Cabos, during which leaders from outside Europe demanded they take firm and quick action.

“In Los Cabos the seeds of a pan-European recovery plan were planted,” said IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, looking forward to next week’s European summit, when a more concrete action plan is expected to emerge. US President Barack Obama spoke for many of his colleagues when he expressed relief at Europe’s “heightened” urgency, adding: “I am confident that over the next several weeks, Europe will paint a picture of where we need to go.”

In their joint statement, the G20 leaders vowed to “take the necessar y actions to strengthen global growth and restore confidence.” And the heads of Europe’s major economies agreed “to consider concrete steps towards a more integrated financial architecture, encompassing banking supervision, resolution and recapitalization, and deposit insurance.”

But, far from the moat-ringed conference center on a rocky hill above San Jose del Cabo, bond markets jacked up rates on Spanish and Italian debt amid self-fulfilling fears that the crisis that sank Greece is spreading again.

The leaders said euro-zone members will “take all necessary measures” to stabilize the single currency bloc, including moves to “break the

feedback loop” that has weak governments piling on more and more debt to bail out their banks. In addition, should economic conditions worsen once more, the countries with more leeway in their budgets “stand ready to coordinate and implement discretionary fiscal actions to support domestic demand,” the communique said. The United States, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank have all urged greater banking integration in Europe, hoping to instill more confidence as banks falter in some of the worst-hit nations.

Obama, worried Europe was not moving resolutely enough to contend with an economic crisis that could torpedo his hopes of re-election in November, huddled in a special side-meeting with Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Francois Hollande, Spain’s Mariano Rajoy, Italy’s Mario Monti and Britain’s David Cameron, as well as European Union chiefs Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman van Rompuy.

Shortly after the Obama-EU meeting, the wording of the final G20 communique was confirmed, but there were few clues given about the path forward even if the statement did betray a greater sense of urgency.

“In some ways it was a G20 summit, in some ways it was a preparatory meeting for the European summit,” said David Shorr, an American foreign policy expert from the Stanley Foundation, which studies global governance.

The new element was the move towards a banking union. Europe-wide guarantees on deposits and a central authority to close banks that go bust are seen as a way to promote the flow of cash through the system and give more confidence to lend.

Supporters believe a union would break a

cycle in which banks are obliged to rely on their own troubled countries’ governments and central banks, creating a vicious cycle of mounting debt that brings down all of the institutions.

Germany, the largest economy in Europe, has resisted debt burden-sharing out of concern that its own comparatively healthy system will be obliged to help out weaker banks in countries that have lacked discipline.

The G20 summit followed hot on the heels of Sunday’s pivotal polls in debt-ridden Greece, where parties committed to the terms of their EU and IMF-led bailout held off a strong challenge by a leftist anti-austerity party. The IMF said it would send a team to Athens as soon as a new government is formed to see where the 130-billion-euro ($165 billion) bailout program stands, amid expectations that a renegotiation of terms will come.

US officials have called for Greece to be given more time to get its affairs in order, but Merkel remained unmoved on changing the broader package. “Elections cannot call into question the commitments Greece made. We cannot compromise on the reform steps we agreed on,” she told reporters. The IMF was also able in Los Cabos to firm up contributions to its resources for helping to protect vulnerable countries from the backwash of the euro-zone crisis.

China led emerging powers in topping up pledges to bring the new IMF loan pool up to $456 billion (361 billion euros), though only in exchange for a greater say in Fund affairs. “The diplomacy here is leaders from outside Europe expressing their concerns about how the crisis could overspill onto them. The new IMF resources are a firebreak to protect them against that,” said Shorr. — AFP

Libya eyes refund of Goldman, SocGen losses MILAN: The Libyan sovereign wealth fund is investigating investment losses of $1.75 billion on structured products managed by Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale to see whether it can claim compensation, the fund’s chairman said yesterday.

Mohsen Derregia, chairman of the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), told reporters in Milan that the LIA needed to review these investments and how they were managed.

“These were investments made in 2007 to 2008, and some of those losses are quite surprising. We’ve had losses for around $1.75 billion, of which $900 million was on a single investment with Goldman Sachs,” Derregia said.

“We will have to see how these structured products were created, valued and managed. Then we will talk to the investment houses and see if we can claim a refund.”

Asked what kind of structured products were involved, Derregia said: “It’s not clear to me.”

Goldman Sachs declined to comment and Societe Generale could not immediately be reached for comment. Derregia was appointed head of the LIA in April and is sifting through tens of billions of dollars in holdings and investments made by the fund worldwide during the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, which was overthrown last year.

“To have a clear oversight of everything will take time; it won’t be done in one or two months,” Derregia said.

“Clearly, there will have to be some write-offs, although they are not huge.” The total value of assets managed by the LIA (about $60 billion) had fallen by less than the LIA feared, Derregia added. “It’s now midway between $50 billion and $60 billion. People in Libya feared we had lost 50 percent of our assets. It’s not like that.”

Derregia was in Italy to speak to authorities and the financial community about the LIA’s holdings in the country, which were seized in March by Italian financial police on the grounds that they belonged to members of the Gaddafi family. The holdings, worth about 1.1 billion euros ($1.39 billion), include stakes in Italy’s largest bank by assets, UniCredit, the oil and gas giant Eni and carmaker Fiat.

The LIA has appealed against the seizure, saying that those holdings belong to the LIA, held on behalf of the Libyan government. Derregia and his lawyers said this view was backed by the Italian economy ministry’s Committee of Financial Security, which he met on Tuesday. The next hearing in the case is on July 12.

Derregia said that the LIA would keep its 1.8 percent stake in UniCredit and could buy more shares in the bank if this was in its own interest.

He said it would not make sense to sell down its Italian portfolio now, given current market conditions. “Clearly the value of the shares has declined substantially. There is no incentive for us to sell the shares now or in the foreseeable future.”— Reuters

LOS ANGELES: Burger King, the world’s No 2 hamburger chain, will return to the New York Stock Exchange after the market opened yesterday.—AP

Burger King returns to New York Stock Exchange NEW YORK: Burger King is back on the New York Stock Exchange. The world’s No 2 hamburger chain began trading as a public company again yesterday under the ticker symbol “BKW.” Shares gained 98 cents, or 6.8 percent, to $15.48 in morning trading.

The Miami-based chain had last traded as a public company between 2006 and 2010, before it was purchased and taken private by investment firm 3G Capital.

Burger King’s return to the Big Board wasn’t through an initial public offering, however.

3G Capital announced an unusual deal in April to sell a minority stake to Justice Holdings Ltd, a London-based entity that was specifically set up to invest in another company. 3G Capital received $1.4 billion in exchange and retains a 71 percent stake in the company. Under the deal, Justice suspended trading on the London Stock Exchange once the deal was complete and emerged as Burger King Worldwide Inc. on the New York Stock Exchange.

Only 16 percent of shares are available for sale to investors. The founders of Justice Holdings will hold onto their 13 percent of shares for at least one year as part of the deal. 3G Capital will hold onto its 71 percent stake for at least six months.

Among Justice’s founders are Bill Ackman, an activist investor and founder of Pershing Square Capital Management;

Martin Franklin, founder and executive chairman of consumer products company Jarden Corp.; Alan Parker, former CEO of Whitbread PLC, the United Kingdom’s largest hotel and restaurant company; and investor Nicolas Berggruen. Franklin and Parker will join Burger King’s board as part of the deal. 3G Capital has said that no other changes will be made to the senior leadership and that the company will continue its focus on turning around the brand.

As the fast-food market becomes increasingly crowded at home, Burger King like other companies has focused on expansion overseas. The company recently announced plans to open hundreds of new restaurants in Russia and 1,000 in China over the next several years.

That’s in addition to similar expansion plans for Brazil announced last year. In the past year, 80 percent of new store openings were in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Back in the US, Burger King has been working to refresh its outdated image and win back lost market share.

The company launched its biggest menu expansion ever in April, with items including fruit smoothies, specialty salads and coffee frappes. The chain is abandoning its strategy of courting young men and going after a broader customer base of moms and families. — AP

24

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

business

Bank of England on verge of new money boost LONDON: The Bank of England is close to launching a new round of monetary stimulus because of the worsening euro zone crisis, according minutes of its last policy meeting, which showed officials split 5-4 on the move, with Governor Mervyn King in favor.

The minutes show far stronger explicit support for more asset-buying quantitative easing than many economists had expected, and is the first 5-4 split on the MPC since June 2007. King was last in a minority in August 2009, when he also supported more QE than the majority. Last month BoE policymaker David Miles was the only official to call for an expansion of quantitative easing-which is designed to help the economy by making borrowing cheaper-but economists had generally expected him to be joined by only one or two further members of the MPC this month.

King and external members Adam Posen and Miles both voted to increase quantitative easing by 50 billion pounds to 325 billion pounds. Paul Fisher, the BOE’s executive director for markets, supported a 25 billion pound increase. Moreover, it looks likely that there could be a majority for more QE as soon as next month.

“Most members judged that some further economic stimulus was either warranted immediately or would probably become warranted in order to meet the inflation target,” the minutes said.

“It’s quite a surprise, we had thought there could be a number of members voting for more QE, (but) four of them was... clearly on the top end of expectations,” said Deutsche Bank economist George Buckley. “(It) suggests we’re going to see more QE very soon,” he added.

Gilts outperformed German government

debt after the news.

All members of the MPC believed that inflation was likely to be lower than the central bank forecast in May, when it predicted it would take until the second half of next yea r before inflation fell below its 2 percent target.

Data published on Tuesday showed that inflation fell unexpectedly to a 2-1/2 year low of 2.8 percent, further easing the way for the BoE to expand QE - possibly as soon as next month. The BoE decided in May not to extend QE purchases largely because inflation was proving slower to fall than expected.

Separately, official data yesterday showed the number of Britons claiming unemployment benefit rose unexpectedly in May, the latest sign of the economy’s ill health.

The Office for National Statistics said the number of people claiming jobless benefit rose by 8,100 last month. Analysts had forecast a fall of 3,000 on the month.

In the BoE minutes, MPC members cited a fall in commodity prices and signs of less generous wage settlements as evidence of weaker inflation in the short term, and warned that risks to Britain from the euro zone debt crisis had intensified. “The likelihood of a disorderly outcome looked to have increased, and that could, if it crystallised, have a significant effect on global demand and the stability of the banking system,” the minutes said.

Some MPC members had said they wanted to see the outcomes of Greek and French elections before deciding on more QE. Both took place last weekend.

Some also said instruments other than gilt purchases may be more appropriate to stimulate the economy. Last week the BoE and the government announced new liquidity measures and lending guarantees to support credit.—Reuters

A topsy-turvy period for oil market GLOBAL OIL MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: A topsy-turvy period for oil prices as Spain seeks bailout for its banks euro-zone debt crisis intensified as Spain formally asked for a bailout for its banks. The concerns were compounded with uncertainty over the outcome of the elections in Greece. In addition, the defusing of tensions with Iran as the six major world powers hold talks over its nuclear program put downward pressure on oil prices. W TI crude oil prices declined by 12.6% to $84.0 per barrel during the review period (14 May-15 June 2012). WTI prices touched the $85 per barrel mark for the first time since October 2011. Euro also declined by 2.0% against the USD during the review period reflecting the impact of the uncertainty in the eurozone.

The markets took a sigh of relief over the weekend as the pro-bailout party took the leading position in the Greek election. However, the focus has turned towards Spain now, as it is feared that the country might eventually need a full sovereign bailout. The rise of Spanish bond yields to above 7.0% has given credence to that perception. The European leaders in the recent G20 meeting have pledged to take all necessary steps to safeguard the integrity and stability of the Euro-zone. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the US Fed to see whether it announces any stimulus measures for the US economy. Any such move by the US Fed is likely to provide support to crude oil prices going forward.

Output unchanged OPEC decided to keep the output ceiling at 30.0mnbpd which appears to be a compromise after several members went into the meeting with divergent views. Iran insisted on output cuts while Saudi Arabia was in favor of output rise. The OPEC meeting came in the backdrop of decline in oil prices due to ongoing concerns over European debt crisis. Total OPEC production including Iraq was 31.6mnbpd in May 2012. The production lev-

els have been above 30.0mn barrels since 3Q11 as production recovery, particularly in Libya and Iraq boosted output numbers. It remains to be seen how strictly OPEC members comply with the ceiling. However, with the sanctions on Iran effective from July 2012 and WTI prices of around USD85 per barrel currently, we expect production levels to come down close to 30.0mnbpd.

European oil demand unlikely to bounce back in the near-term Western Europe oil demand is expected to

decrease by 0.34mnbpd to 13.94mnbpd in 2012, which is not surprising as the euro-zone economy continues to stagnate on the back of austerity measures being taken in many countries. With many European countries in recession, the European oil demand declined for the eight consecutive month in April. With the debt crisis solution requiring structural changes, any immediate turnaround in oil consumption seems unlikely.

Meanwhile, China is expected to remain the major oil demand growth driver with an expected increase of 0.4mnbpd in 2012.

London trader and wife jailed for insider dealing LONDON: A London trader who funded a lavish lifestyle from illegal share dealing was jailed for four years - and his wife for 10 months - in an insider dealing case pursued by prosecutors on both sides of the Atlantic. James Sanders, a director of now-defunct UK brokerage Blue Index, his wife Miranda and James Swallow, a Blue Index codirector, last month pleaded guilty to 18 counts of insider dealing between October 2006 and February 2008.

The couple - in their thirties - held hands in the dock, and when a woman in the gallery burst into tears on Miranda’s sentencing, Miranda turned and smiled encouragingly at her. The four years meted out to James Sanders constitutes the longest jail sentence for insider trading to date in the UK. Swallow was handed a 10-month jail sentence.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA), which brought the UK prosecution, said the three scooped almost 2.0 million pounds ($3.10 million) in profits from illegal share dealings, while Blue

Index clients made around 10.2 million. A consummate trader, James Sanders told a newspaper in 2008 his mantra was: “Buy at the point of maximum fear” after snapping up a 5 million pound property in London’s exclusive Kensington district for a 22 percent discount at the height of the credit crunch. Blue Index was a specialist brokerage of contracts for differences (CFD), a tax-efficient trade that allows dealers to speculate on short-term price fluctuations of assets such as stocks by buying a percentage of their value, or “margin”. The FSA, which worked alongside US regulators and prosecutors to secure the convictions, said the insider in the case was Miranda’s brother-in-law Arnold McClellan, a senior partner at the San Francisco branch of accounting firm Deloitte. The FSA alleged that either Miranda’s sister Annabel McClellan or her husband Arnold leaked privileged, price-sensitive information to the British couple about US securities listed on the New York stock exchange or the technology heavy Nasdaq index. — Reuters

SEOUL: Thousands of South Korean taxi drivers wave red banners reading “price stabilization of LPG, used as an alternative fuel for most taxis,” during a rally as they staged a nationwide strike in Seoul yesterday.—AFP

200,000 S Korea cabbies stage rare strike SEOUL: More than 200,000 South Korean taxi drivers staged a rare daylong nationwide strike yesterday for higher fares and cheaper fuel, prompting authorities to run extra bus and subway services. About 220,000 of the country ’s 255,500 licensed cabbies joined the stoppage, the transport ministry said, adding there would be extra buses in the capital Seoul and the second city Busan, and more trains on the Seoul subway.

“We don’t expect any major transportation crisis since taxis are not a major part of people’s daily commute,” a ministry spokesman told AFP. “But we are still keeping a close eye on the situation.” There was no major

turmoil during morning commuting hours due to the increased bus and subway services, and the absence of taxis actually eased gridlock on the roads, Yonhap news agency reported.

Tens of thousands of drivers rallied in central Seoul, demanding a rise in the flagfall rate of 2,400 won ($2.08) and cuts in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used to fuel most taxis.

“Sorry about the inconvenience to the public... but everything from utilities to food prices are rising, except for taxi fares!” a rally organizer shouted through a loudspeaker, drawing cheers from the crowd. Taxi drivers from across the nation, wearing head-

bands reading “Safeguard our livelihood!”, chanted slogans including demands for government financial aid.

“The anger of taxi drivers that has long been bottled up is finally exploding on June 20,” the Korean Taxi Workers’ Union said in a statement.

It said the domestic LPG price had surged 50 percent over the past four years and accused fuel providers of “pocketing massive profits... while the livelihood of taxi drivers couldn’t get worse”.

The transport ministry said earlier it had urged South Korean fuel importers such as SK Gas and E1 to try to curb price rises.—AFP

Brent oil slips, Europe worries weigh on prices Fed seen offering stimulus to US economy LONDON: Brent crude oil fell yesterday, pinned near 17-month lows, hit by worries over Spain’s high borrowing costs and prospects for global demand growth.

Brent oil for August delivery was down 68 cents at $95.08 per barrel by 1030 GMT. It fell as low as $94.86 earlier, near Tuesday’s trough of $94.44, its lowest since January, 2011.

US July crude, which expired yesterday, was down nine cents at $83.94 per barrel.

Expectations that the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting may result in stimulus for the world’s largest economy failed to halt a slide in Brent, which has tumbled 22 percent this quarter, its biggest fall since late 2008. “Oil has really decided it has no interest in the FOMC, it has not priced in any significant stimulus,” said David Morrison, analyst at GFT Global.

The US central bank will release a policy statement at the end of its two-day meeting later on Wednesday, followed by a briefing by Chairman Ben Bernanke at 1815 GMT. “It must be because investors are looking ahead and seeing that the situation in

Europe isn’t going to get any better, while the outlook for demand in the U.S. is poor and China is slowing too,” Morrison said.

He added that there was little technical support for Brent crude above the $87.50$88 per barrel level.

Fears that Spain’s soaring bond yields could eventually lead to an international bailout for Madrid further darkened an already bleak outlook for the euro-zone.

Spain moved closer to becoming the largest euro zone country yet to be shut out of credit markets after paying a euro era record price to sell short-term debt, with yields on longer-term bonds also at unsustainable levels at above 7 percent.

The market seems well-supplied with oil, and traders were not focusing on supply disruption risks posed by sanctions on key producer Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

Brent crude ended lower on Tuesday on relief negotiations in Moscow to defuse the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program led to plans for technical talks to be held in Istanbul on July 3.

A deal had not been widely expected

and although experts said the sides were far apart, they welcomed the fact talks had at least not broken down completely.

If talks do eventually collapse, financial markets could be hit by fears of war and of higher oil prices because Israel has threatened to attack Iranian nuclear sites if diplomacy fails to stop Tehran getting the nuclear bomb, something the Islamic Republic denies it is seeking.

Analysts think that there is little chance of substantive progress from the talks. The market is awaiting an inventory report from the US Energy Information Administration later in the day for trading cues.

Oil prices could be supported by a projected drop in US crude oil stockpiles for a third straight week. On average, crude stocks are forecast to have dipped 1.1 million barrels in the week to June 15, according to a Reuters survey of 12 analysts. The American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday said domestic crude stocks fell by 550,000 barrels last week, with crude imports down 82,000 barrels per day. — Reuters

25

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

business

Gold holds below $1,620/oz ahead of Fed statement LONDON: Gold prices held steady below $1,620 an ounce yesterday as investors took to the sidelines ahead of a Federal Reserve policy statement later in the day, in which the bank is expected to outline fresh measures to stimulate US economic growth.

A spate of soft US economic data has fuelled speculation the Fed may extend its bond-buying scheme, ‘Operation Twist’, beyond its June deadline, a less extreme step than outright purchases of new securities, known as quantitative easing. Further monetary easing would maintain pressure on long-term interest rates, keeping the opportunity cost of holding gold at rock bottom as well as weighing on the dollar, which would stoke demand for the metal as an alternative store of value.

Spot gold was at $1,616.39 an

ounce at 1000 GMT against $1,616.60 late on Tuesday, while US gold futures for August delivery were down $7.10 an ounce at $1,616.10.

“Gold is steady and awaiting the Fed,” Richcomm Global Services analyst Pradeep Unni said. “Chances of direct QE-3 are (slight), but markets seem to be (expecting) a repeat of September 2011’s Operation Twist at the end of the Fed meeting.”

Near-term support for prices is likely to kick in towards $1,613 an ounce, he said, while resistance was seen at $1,635. The wider financial markets were little changed ahead of the announcement. Stock markets in Europe edged down a touch and the euro firmed very slightly in early trade, while a slightly weaker tone to the dollar gave a lift to gold.

Bets on more monetary stimulus

from the US central bank and action to help shield Spain and Italy were reflected in some markets, however, pushing German Bund futures to sixweek lows and pressuring Spanish 10year yields.

Confronted with rising financial strains in Europe, a year-end fiscal showdown in Washington and a sharp slowdown in hiring by US employers, many economists expect the Fed to extend Operation Twist, which is aimed at pushing down longer-term interest rates to shield the still-fragile economy. A Reuters poll of 49 economists conducted early in June reflected a 45 percent chance the Fed would eventually undertake another round of stimulus, well above the 30 percent chance returned in a similar poll on May 15. “If the FOMC were to decline to hint at further easing, this could

undermine gold,” HSBC said in a note.

“But even if bullion should drop, we believe the price will hold above $1,600.” From a technical perspective, gold remains supported in the $1,580$1,600 area, analysts who study past price patterns for clues as to the future direction of trade said.

“Gold is still rangebound within the confines of its major 1532.20/1522.48 support zone (September and December 2011 lows) and the 1641 current June peak,” Commerzbank said in a note.

“It is quite possible, though, that the current June high at 1641 will be surpassed this week and that the 50 percent retracement of the Februaryto-May decline and the 200-day moving average at 1668 will be reached before another medium-term down leg rears its head.” The bank said it

would retain its medium-term bearish forecast on gold unless two daily closes above the May high at 1672.10 were made. Gold-backed exchange-traded funds have seen buying interest in recent weeks, Reuters data showed, with the largest, New York’s SPDR Gold Trust, already on track for its biggest monthly inflow since February, with holdings up 11.4 tons.

Appetite for gold in major consumer India was blunted by a persistently weak rupee. Jewellers there are also watching the progress of the monsoon, which could set the tone for demand during the next festive season. Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.2 percent at $28.44 an ounce, while spot platinum was flat at $1,473.15 an ounce, while spot palladium was little changed at $623.53 an ounce. — Reuters

Euro-zone under pressure to speed up integration Spain resists full debt rescue

TOKYO: Containers stacked in a yard at the Tokyo port yesterday. Japan logged a bigger-than-expected trade deficit of about $11.5 billion in May, hit by soaring energy costs and weakening demand from hard-hit Europe. — AFP

Japan trade deficit jumps on soaring energy costs TOKYO: Japan logged a bigger-thanexpected trade deficit of $11.5 billion in May, hit by soaring energy costs and weakening demand from struggling Europe, official data showed yesterday.

The figures, which showed a 907.3-billion-yen shortfall in May from a year earlier, revealed that Japan had its first monthly trade deficit with the European Union since records started in 1979.

Demand from the continent, a major market for Japanese products, continues to suffer with Tokyo repeatedly warning that the euro-zone debt crisis was the biggest risk for Japan’s economy, the world’s third largest. Tokyo’s trade deficit with the EU came to 11.1 billion yen in May, reversing a year-earlier surplus of 25.6 billion as exports of microchips and other electronic parts tumbled.

There was, however, contrasting news in the form of exports overall rising 10.0 percent to 5.23 trillion yen as shipments of automobiles and auto parts soared, mainly driven by demand in the United States.

“Europe’s debt problem is affecting international trade,” said Daiwa Institute of Research economist Satoshi Osanai,

noting Europe-bound exports from the United States and China were also slowing. “If the European situation worsens, trade figures would worsen further. We have to watch the European problem closely.”

Japan’s overall May trade deficit was a record for the month and 5.4 percent higher than the 860.7-billion-yen deficit in May 2011. It was also well above the 520-billion-yen deficit expected by economists. Overall, imports jumped 9.3 percent to 6.14-trillion yen from a year earlier, largely due to rising purchases of foreign oil and gas.

Japan is struggling to meet its energy needs, turning to pricey fossil fuel alternatives after its nuclear reactors were switched off in the wake of last year’s atomic crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Imports rose in volume as well as in value, as power companies stepped up fuel purchases to prepare for heavy summer demand. “The bigger-than-expected deficit increases uncertainty”, Osanai said. “(But) considering it was a seasonal surge, we may not have to be overly pessimistic” about the fate of Japan’s economy, he added. — AFP

Liontrust looks to build as assets, inflows rise LONDON: Liontrust Asset Management has swung to a full-year profit after the British group’s funds performed strongly, attracting new money, while acquisitions significantly boosted its assets, to 2.1 billion pounds ($3.3 billion).

The funds house said a turnaround strategy implemented in 2009 after it lost the bulk of its assets and two star managers was complete and had laid the foundation for further expansion.

“There is no reason why we cannot, in the next three years, be 5 billion (pounds assets under management) and looking to 10 billion in five years,” chief executive John Ions told Reuters yesterday.

Liontrust has booked net inflows of 94 million pounds so far in the April-June quarter, having seen seven previous quarters of net inflows and a 581 million pound boost when it bought the fund management unit of Walker Crips for 12.3 million pounds in March. The company made a pretax profit of 1.0 million pounds ($1.6 million) in the year to endMarch, compared with a loss of 1.7 million pounds in 2010/11.

Last year, Liontrust expanded its asset classes into Asian and global emerging markets through the purchase of the fund management business of Occam Asset Management. — Reuters

SINGAPORE: An elderly Singaporean man sorts through piles of waste paper before selling them on for recycling on a roadside in Singapore yesterday.

Singapore on May 17 stuck to its economic growth projections of 1.0-3.0 percent for 2012 but warned there was a chance of a “disorderly sovereign debt default” in the euro- zone that could hit exports, the Trade and Industry Ministry said. — AFP

BRUSSELS: Euro-zone leaders faced mounting pressure from impatient G20 partners yesterday to accelerate integration, while Spain fought to avoid needing a full debt rescue.

As Greece edged towards the formation of a new government and fresh negotiations on the terms of its bailout, the focus turned to a marathon series of European Union meetings culminating in a summit next week.

The work is being taken forward yesterday by euro-zone Treasury directors meeting in Brussels, today by finance ministers in Luxembourg and tomorrow when the leaders of the euro-zone’s Big Four of Germany, France, Italy and Spain gather in Rome.

“Decisions on Europe will be taken in the next few days,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti told reporters at a G20 summit in Mexico on Tuesday, after calling for EU leaders to “draw up a clear road map with concrete interventions to make the euro more credible.”

Monti spoke as bond markets jacked up the risk premium both Spain and Italy must pay for government borrowings. The interest demanded for 10-year Spanish bonds is around the level that triggered Greek, Irish and Portuguese bailouts. A diplomat in Brussels said Spain is expected officially to request financial aid to recapitalize its banks at the Eurogroup meeting today. Euro-zone partners have offered up to 100 billion euros

($125 billion). While taking care of Spain’s immediate needs, European leaders are also looking to tighten their union, with a plan being prepared for the EU summit on June 28-29. A key report on integrating euro-zone economic and monetary union has yet to be shared around capitals; plans for a banking union are being considered only on a step-bystep basis; and ideas for strengthening financial firefighting capacity remain mired in disagreement.

A major push is under way to convince euro-zone paymaster Germany-responsible for the lion’s share of existing bailouts-to set up a permanent system for deeper burden sharing whether it is governments or banks that get into trouble.

“It looks as if the euro-zone is running out of options and that stop-gap measures no longer do the trick,” said Carsten Brzeski of Dutch-based ING, emphasizing the need for a “new architecture” for the monetary union to emerge at the summit.

This would eventually involve a permanent euro-zone liquidity or funding facility, single bank supervision and deposit guarantees, he said. Though this “might not be enough to restore calm on financial markets,” he said it could prove “enough to bring the European Central Bank back into action.”

Europe-wide guarantees on deposits and a central authority to close banks that go bust

are seen as a way to promote the flow of cash through the system and give more confidence to lend.

Supporters believe a union would break a cycle in which banks are obliged to rely on their own troubled countries’ governments and central banks, creating a vicious cycle of mounting debt that brings down all of the institutions. The United States, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank have all urged greater banking integration in Europe.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, famously cautious since the debt crisis kicked in more than two years ago, has said some ideas can be considered in the short term, but maintains that the degree of integration economists say is needed can only be for the long term.

At the G20 talks in Mexico, the heads of Europe’s major economies agreed “to consider concrete steps towards a more integrated financial architecture, encompassing banking supervision, resolution and recapitalization, and deposit insurance.”

Leaders said euro-zone members will “take all necessary measures” to stabilize the single currency bloc, including moves to “break the feedback loop” that has weak governments piling on more and more debt to bail out their banks. “The seeds of a pan-European recovery plan were planted,” said IMF managing director Christine Lagarde. — AFP

Sovereign rating upgrade boosts Turkish assets ISTANBUL: The Turkish lira, bonds and stocks all gained yesterday after credit ratings agency Moody’s raised Turkey’s sovereign debt rating by one notch to Ba1 from Ba2 and maintained its positive outlook on the country.

Moody’s cited a significant improvement in Turkey’s public finances and the resulting increased shock-absorption capacity of the government’s balance sheet, boosting hopes of a subsequent upgrade to investment grade. “This is good news for the bond market, especially for the foreign currency debt. A further upgrade by Moody’s by one notch will put Turkey’s external debt in the investment-grade category, which should attract further international interest in Turkey bonds,” said Benoit Anne, head of emerging markets strategy at Societe Generale.

“We expect the resilience of long-end local debt to continue, boosted also by the upgrade news today.” By 0722 GMT the lira strengthened to 1.7932 against the dollar, from 1.7980 before the upgrade announcement.

The yield on Turkey’s benchmark bond fell to 8.92 percent, the lowest level since the end of February. Istanbul’s main stock index rose 0.9 percent to 59,843.37 points, outperforming a 0.48 percent rise in the MSCI emerging markets index.

“We tested below 9 percent for the benchmark bond yield as we near an investment grade rating with the Moody’s upgrade,” said one bond trader.

“We are seeing very clear foreign investor interest.

These developments will strengthen the central bank’s hand after the strong demand in yesterday’s Eurobond sale.”

Turkey borrowed $1 billion on Tuesday in a tap of its dollar-denominated Eurobond maturing in 2041, paying a yield of 5.75 percent, bankers told Reuters.

They said demand was around $7 billion.

Moody’s also noted policy actions that have the potential to address external imbalances, such as the large current account deficit, which is the largest credit risk facing the country.

The current account deficit is seen as the main weakness for Turkey’s otherwise booming economy.

It stood at 10 percent of GDP in 2011, among the highest in the world, but is expected to decline to 8 percent this year.“Looking ahead, an upgrade to an investment-grade rating will probably be dependent on Turkey becoming more resilient to balanceof-payment shocks, given the already favorable public-finance metrics,” Moody’s said in its statement. Moody’s senior analyst Sarah Carlson told Reuters that Turkey’s rating could be raised to investment grade if it can reduce the current account deficit, boost foreign exchange reserves and reduce external borrowing by the private sector. Fitch rates Turkey BB+, just below investment grade. Standard & Poor’s rates it a notch lower, at BB, and recently cut the country’s sovereign rating outlook to stable from negative. — Reuters

OVIEDO, Spain: Riot police officers walk next to the motorway following a protest of coal miners blocking a highway in La Cobertoria, near Oviedo, Spain yesterday. Strikes, road blockades, and mine sit-ins continue as 8,000 mineworkers at over 40 coal mines in northern Spain continue their protests against government action to cut coal subsidies. —AP

UK to give shareholders power over executive pay LONDON: Britain will legislate to give shareholders the power to reject company director pay deals in a bid to improve the link to performance and calm public anger over soaring executive earnings, Business Secretary Vince Cable said yesterday.

The move puts Britain in the vanguard of a clampdown on corporate pay that has seen investors voicing their disapproval at FTSE 100 boardroom pay levels which have quadrupled over the past decade, far exceeding the performance of share values.

The plans will strengthen the hand of shareholders who currently only have an advisory and non-binding vote on directors’ remuneration. “At a time when the global economy remains fragile, it is neither sustainable nor justifiable to see directors’ pay rising at 10 percent a year, while the performance of listed companies lags behind and many employees are having their pay cut or frozen,” Cable said. The move follows measures to limit the level of banker’s bonuses following the financial crisis and comes as the European Union considers similar proposals to boost shareholder control over director pay. Pay increases for top executives in the United States have also slowed in response to shareholder pressure, although they still gained by 14

percent in 2011. Public anger over generous pay at the top of companies helped spur the anti-establishment “Occupy” movement which launched protests around the world including in London and New York’s financial districts. Cable said companies listed publicly in Britain would have to seek the approval of shareholders to award compensation packages to directors in an annual vote, under laws that could come into force as early as 2013. Companies will be able to limit the shareholders’ vote on pay to once every three years, provided they make no change in compensation arrangements for directors.

The opposition Labor party accused Cable of making a “U-turn” on the binding votes, which he had originally proposed should be held every year.

Cable rejected the criticism, saying the potential extension to a vote every three years would encourage companies to stick to a clear and long-term pay strategy, putting a brake on what he called an “annual upward pay ratchet.”

Shareholders, led by insurers and large pension funds, have become i n c re a s i n g l y c r i t i c a l o f w h a t t h e y regard as overgenerous pay for senior executives, especially where corporate per formance has been disappointing. — Reuters

26

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

BUSINESS

AUB recognized ‘Best Bank in Middle East’ by Euromoney KUWAIT: Ahli United Bank has been named “Best Bank in the Middle East” by leading international finance magazine Euromoney. In addition to the regional award, AUB was also named Best Bank in Bahrain for

2012 for the seventh consecutive year.

The announcement was made at the 2012 Euromoney Middle East Awards for Excellence Gala Event, which was held in Dubai and was attended by leading bankers from across the region.

Long regarded as the benchmark awards for financial services globally, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence are now in their 22nd consecutive year. This year’s awards attracted over 600 submissions from banks worldwide.

Euromoney’s research team and awards panel rated the banks on both quantitative and qualitative factors, including financial ratios, regional diversification and innovation over the past 12 month period to decide the award winners, honoring those institutions

that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and momentum in the markets in which they excel.

Euromoney commended AUB for successfully navigating a very turbulent year. Euromoney Editor Clive Horwood highlighted how

“Ahli United Bank’s geographical diversification throughout the Middle East has helped the bank flourish in challenging times.

AUB managed to post a 17% net profit increase in 2011, with the rise continuing into the first quarter of 2012. Despite geopo-

litical upheavals regionally, AUB Group profit was at its highest ever.”

Receiving the award on behalf of AUB, Group CEO Adel ElLabban said: “This award is a fitting and well appreciated tribute to the efforts and dedication of all our staff in pursuing our collective vision of a prudence-led, customer-focused bank which takes a long term approach to growth while continuing to best service its clients and manage its risks under very adverse conditions. It is a clear reflection of AUB Group’s strength and resilience to win this award for the second time after our initial selection in 2007, and it is particularly gratifying to see our commitment to entrenching a culture of excellence being recognized by a leading authority such as Euromoney”.

This award by Euromoney marks the fourth major honor for AUB in 2012. Earlier in the year, AUB was named “Best Foreign Exchange Bank in the Middle East” for the sixth consecutive year and ‘Best Bank in Bahrain’ for the seventh consecutive year

by Global Finance as well as “Best Private Bank in Bahrain” for the second consecutive year by Euromoney, further cementing AUB’s reputation as a premier financial services provider in the Middle East.

MasterCard appoints new VP for communications in MEA

Sami Lahoud, Vice President - Communications, Middle East and Africa

DUBAI: MasterCard (http://newsroom.mastercard.com/) has recently appointed Sami Lahoud as Vice President - Communications, Middle East and Africa, with the responsibility to drive the corporate communications function for the company across the Middle East and Africa region.

Based in Dubai, Sami will draw upon his broad communications and journalism experience in the region to optimize MasterCard’s brand visibility and reputation across the three main divisions that compose the MEA region, namely; Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa.

Commenting on Lahoud’s appointment, Michael Miebach, president, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, said:

Al-Tijari announces winners of daily draw with Najma Account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account draw on 18th June 2012. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Saqar Al-Manaie The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are:Saad Ahmed Shalaby Ahmed — KD 7000, Isam Anbousi — KD 7000, Lulwah Abbas Ibrahim Aljedy — KD 7000, Baber Hussain Mohammed Sadiq — KD 7000, Eid Mutlaq Duwaian Salem — KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account.

Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment. With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50. Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

“Sami’s credentials are of the highest caliber and he brings a wealth of experience in some of the most challenging communications environments. This is a clear benefit to MasterCard and all our stakeholders. As part of a strategic decision to invest in resources in the region, Sami’s appointment will put MasterCard in a strong position to drive greater awareness and value of MasterCard products and brand across Middle East and Africa.”

Before joining MasterCard, Sami worked with Barclays where he established the Corporate Affairs function for the Emerging Markets region which was set up to spearhead the growth of Barclays Retail and Corporate business in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and East Europe.

Prior to Barclays, Sami held several senior positions within leading organizations such as Boeing, where his work involved enhancing the brand and reputation of the company in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, building competitive advantage and actively supporting major customer campaigns across civil and defense aerospace products.

During his extensive career in communications, Sami worked for leading communications consultancies such as Weber Shandwick and Hill & Knowlton.

He also was the Business Editor of Al Iktissad Wal Aamal magazine, a leading pan Arab business publication.

Sami holds a Master’s Degree in Money & Banking from the American University of Beirut.

Become next Al-Danah KD 500,000 winner KUWAIT: Gulf Bank urges existing customers to maintain or increase their deposits in their Al Danah account to increase their chances of becoming the next Al Danah KD 500,000 winner. The Bank also encourages potential customers to open an Al Danah account to gain chances to enter the draw and become a winner with Gulf Bank.

Gulf Bank’s Al Danah offers weekly draws of KD1,000 each to ten winners. Quarterly draw winners are eligible to win KD250,000 in the second quarterly draw, KD500,000 during the third quarterly draw, and finally 1 million dinars during the fourth quarter.

Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account. Al Danah is the only account to offer daily winning chances and customers are advised to take advantage of that to increase

their chances. The second quarterly draw winner of KD250,000 will be announced during the upcoming draw taking place on July 4th.

Customers are advised not to perform any withdrawal transactions before the next draw date scheduled on July 4th, as this would decrease their chances of winning the second quarterly prize draw of KD 250,000.

To be part of the Al Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website, to find all the information regarding Al Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services or log on www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al Danah and who the winners are.

Jet Airways hosts ‘up, close and social’ An initiative for facebook and Twitter fans MUMBAI: Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, as part of its social media engagement, recently conducted an exclusive event ‘Up, Close and Social’. 31 winners of the “My Most Enriching Experience with Jet Airways” contest from different cities were hosted in Mumbai at the airline’s aircraft maintenance facility (hangar), on June 16, 2012.

This one of a kind initiative by Jet Airways was conceived with the aim of engaging with the airline’s Facebook and Twitter fans. It was an opportunity where fans experienced a unique transition from the virtual to the real world.

During the half day meet, fans were provided with rich insights and information on aircraft maintenance and operations through audio visual presentations by Jet Airways engineering experts. The event also presented an exclusive

view of the fascinating world of aircraft maintenance with a tour of the engine, structure, wheel & brake and seat shop.

Apart from getting a chance to explore the aircraft interiors, engines, cargo hold and landing gear, each guest was given the opportunity to visit the cockpit of a stationary Boeing 737 aircraft and learn first-hand by its technology, instruments and various features.

Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, spent time interacting individually with fans and sharing his vision to create a larger family with the social media community being an important part. He shared his dream to create user led innovation and idea generation to help the airline enhance and innovate its product features.

According to Raghavan, “This is an extension

of our social media strategy to ‘Listen, Engage and Respond’ wherein we now connect with our fans on an individual basis. The social media community is our extended family and we want to have a deeper engagement with our fans. We believe that our fans can contribute a lot and help us create innovative solutions with feedback and new ideas through such activities.”

“We want to take our engagement to the next level with similar events and get to know our fans better and vice-versa in order to hopefully build a more vibrant and engaging social community. We are overwhelmed at the response and level of involvement from our fans, who not only took great interest in aircraft maintenance but also surprised us with their deep knowledge about our brand and aircraft operations.”

Al-Babtain launches an unbeatable offer on Renault vehicles KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz AlBabtain Co, the sole distributer for Renault cars in Kuwait, has recently launched its best offer for this year by offering all customers who purchase a Renault car, the opportunity to enter the draw to win the Renault Fluence 2012. Customers will receive a coupon for every 500 KD they spend, which may increase their chance of winning.

By offering the Renault Fluence car to its customers, Al-Babtain Co. aims at allowing all Renault fans the golden chance of driving this extremely elegant car that combines quality features and innovative design coupled with a comfortable driving experience.

The company had announced that in order for them to enter the draw, customers may choose their favorite style from a range of new and distinctive Renault cars according to their specific budget and taste.

Among these cars is the Renault Safrane, starting from KD4,888 and characterized by its comprehensive style and spacious interior as well as its high-technology specifications and extreme comfort.

In addition, the Megane Hatchback starting from KD4,444 is fitted with practical and startling technological solutions, and features bi-Xenon headlights, bi-zone air- conditioning, a hands-free Renault card, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a 3D sound audio system by Arkamys, all of which give this car greater prominence and reinforces its presence on the road.

Furthermore, among the unique collection of cars displayed at Al-Babtain showroom lies the totally new SUV Renault Duster, the real adventure car characterized by its solid design, comfortable driving and extremely affordable prices starting from KD3,999 . This

special vehicle hosts multiple practical and functional features including a spacious and comfortable interior compartment that can hold 5 passengers and provides up to 475 liters of space in the boot, easily providing passengers with enough space to carry all their luggage and leisure equipment.

The Renault Logan is also included in the list with a price of only KD2,888.

This exceptional car is characterized by the most important safety features, the highest level of performance and its large passenger compartment, in addition to its 1.6 liters 16-valve engine which allows optimal performance and is capable of delivering 105 horsepower and a peak torque at 3750 rounds per minute, and this enables the car to reach a top speed of 183km/h.

As for the Renault Fluence, it has a starting price of 3,999 K.D and marks the beginning of a new lifestyle with its modern electric design. Even from far, it’s easy to guess how spacious this car is. Its smooth, modern and stylish silhouette does nothing to hide its generosity! The Renault Fluence is a truly comfortable saloon car, with the greatest interior space in its category. The front seats offer excellent support while in the back, the knee room is extremely generous for passengers. Moreover, the back seat can be inclined at an angle of 27 degree for bespoke comfort.

The company announced that this offer is applicable to individuals and fleet customers and is valid until July 12th, 2012, and that the draw date is on July 15th, 2012.

In the end, Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain Co is always looking forward to introduce such unbeatable offers to the marketplace and to develop its services in order to best serve to its valued customers.

Qatalum unveils ARABAL 2012 agenda Qatalum has unveiled the agenda of the 16th Arab International Aluminium Conference (ARABAL 2012) which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Doha 19th - 21st November 2012, under the patronage of HE Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum.

Speaking on the occasion, Qatalum’s Communications Manager, Ibrahim J Fakhri, said, “Qatalum is giving top priority to this important event in terms of preparation and organization. The conference is diverse, rich, and scheduled to host representatives of leading companies from the region and across the globe operating in this vital sector.”

Qatar is seeking to diversify the local economy and stimulated discourse and communication with various international firms. Fakhri added, “Qatalum has coordinated and prepared to stage ARABAL 2012 to the highest level of organization to reflect the growing Qatari economy, as well as the current development in Arab and global aluminum industry.”

Qatalum’s environment friendly smelter makes use of the latest state-ofthe-art smelting technologies and has a production capacity of 585,000 tons of high-quality primary aluminum products per annum, which will be attracting a great deal of attention from manufacturers attending the conference.

ARABAL 2012 is scheduled to feature a number of sessions, including discussion panels, seminars, workshops, and presentations by a number of regional and international industry experts and professionals. The conference is set to commence with an opening speech by Mohammed Naqi, ARABAL Chairman, followed by the speech of Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry and the welcome speech of Abdulrahman Al-Shaibi, Qatalum Chairman.

The organizing committee has developed a number of key topics for sessions and workshops, including Future Prospects of the Aluminium Industry in the Light of the Rapid Regional and International Changes, which will address the growth and expansion

opportunities in aluminum industry worldwide, the price trends and the availability of raw materials in the market. Another session titled Future Prospects of Expanding Uses Locally and Creating Local Demand by Developing and Expanding Uses of Aluminum’s Products will focus on the manufacturing industries associated with aluminum and their increasing importance in the Middle East. A discussion panel will address Dumping and Competition and their Negative Impacts on Sector Growth in the presence of prominent international speakers. The Role of the Public Sector in Developing Sector Outputs and Growth, and the Impact of Mature Regulations and their Ability to Cope with Development, on the Industry and Related Sectors will also be discussed during the conference. Other topics will address market reality, technology and finance.

Further topics will touch on the geopolitical changes in the economy and industry in the region following the Arab Spring, as well as recycling, the environment, safety, the automotive industry and the bourgeoning markets in China and India. The delegations will be taken on a field tour to Mesaieed Industrial City, where Qatalum’s safety and environment model will be presented with the aim to raise awareness, boost the conference’s outputs, exchange experience and information and enhance communication among various industry players.

The Arab International Aluminium Conference (ARABAL) is the premier trade event for the Middle East’s aluminium industry and the only conference in the world attended by every single primary aluminium manufacturer in the region. Therefore, it is the conference of choice for anyone interested in the Middle East aluminum industry. The ARABAL story began in 1983 with Kuwait Aluminium Co. bringing together the leading figures in Middle East Aluminum to strengthen ties and discuss the issues of the day to provide an overview about the entire aluminium industry. Over the last 29 years, ARABAL has evolved to attract industry leaders from all over the world to attend, speak and exhibit.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

technology

Samsung, LG bet on new display to revive TV sales even thinner screen, imagery of eye-popping clarity HANGZHOU: A Chinese Alibaba employee walks at the company headquarters in Hangzhou yesterday. China Investment Corporation is in advanced talks to add up to $2 billion to the Alibaba Internet Group’s efforts to buy back a stake from struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo!, the New York Times reported recently. — AFP

Outlet outrage, peeping techs top travel peeves NEW YORK: American travelers don’t want to leave home without their laptops and smartphones, fear the devices will be stolen, and suffer outlet outrage if they can’t find somewhere to recharge them, according to a new survey released yesterday.

In an Intel poll that revealed Americans’ attachment to their devices, almost one-half of the 2,500 people questioned said they feel anxious without the technology and nearly three-quarters of younger travelers admitted to suffering outlet outrage.

More than three-quarters of people questioned thought losing their device would be more stressful than misplacing their wedding ring, and 64 percent said they would sacrifice things such as toiletries to make room in luggage for their laptops or tablets.

In the survey, 46 percent said they had compromised personal comfort or hygiene to keep the devices charged, and 15 percent of 18- to 29-yearolds said they would search public bathrooms for an outlet if they had no choice. “The survey revealed how deep the emotional bond has become between travelers and their devices and how far they are willing to go to feed their always-on craving and stay connected,” Mike Fard, a marketing strategist with chipmaker Intel Corp, said in an interview.

He added that travelers like to stay in control and were more likely to go out of their way to keep in touch with friends and family.

Nearly 90 percent of young travelers feel happier when they have their devices with them, showing how technology has become pervasive in everyday life.

In the survey, 21 percent said they experienced device envy, thinking someone else’s laptop, smartphone or tablet looked better than their own.

Despite the attachment to technology, not everyone is pleased about lugging laptops and tablets on planes and trains. Fifty two percent of travelers get annoyed carrying power cords and battery packs with them and being forced to remove the devices from luggage during security checks.

People are also peeved by restrictions during flights.

Thirty percent said they don’t think they should turn off devices when they fly-which Fard said has led the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider its electronics policies.

Peeping techs, who look over other people’s shoulders to view screens, was among the top peeves cited by travelers. About 30 percent of people said they have caught people doing it. But 33 percent of travelers admitted being a peeping tech.

Even though people fear their devices will be stolen, one-quarter of travelers fail to take basic precautions to protect themselves and use insecure WiFi networks or leave devices unattended. Fard recommended users create secure passwords and use tools to protect their information. — Reuters

Germany might miss electric car target BERLIN: Germany will miss its target of one million electric cars on its roads by 2020 without more incentives, the country’s coordinator on electric transport policy warned yesterday.

“I’ve already said that without additional incentives we will reach more of a figure of half a million,” Henning Kagermann, who oversees Germany ’s electric mobility strategy, told reporters.

Germany set a target in 2008 of having one million electric cars on its roads in 2020 and said it wanted to be a pilot market in the field. Under the plan, it has given itself until 2014 to prepare the market, with mass production of electric cars due to kick in from 2017.

But Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer called at the same press conference for “optimistic realism” and spoke of “making Germany the number one (market) for the electric car” rather than re-stating the one-million target. The head of the powerful Federation of German Industry (VDA), Matthias Wissmann, has said that by 2014, German manufacturers will be able to offer 15 different models of electric vehicles. But he insisted on the need to improve the vehicles’ batteries to provide electric cars with more autonomy outside heavily built-up areas.

The government offers tax incentives to electric car drivers but campaigners say much more must be done to encourage people to switch from petrol or diesel to electric vehicles.— AFP

SEOUL: South Korean TV manufacturers are making billion dollar bets on a new display technology that promises an even thinner screen and imagery of eye-popping clarity. It might prove to be a costly last gasp of innovation from an industry finding it ever harder to excite consumers who’ve been wowed by smartphones and tablets.

Undeterred by the 3-D TV flop and failure of Internet connected TVs to boost sales, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. are hoping “OLED” technology will keep them ahead in an intensely competitive business that has caused losses in the TV division of Japan’s Sony for the past eight years.

The arrival of flat screen televisions 15 years ago was an advance in TV technology that tantalized consumers nearly as much as color televisions in the late 1960s. The first generation of flat screens now look positively obese next to the most recent ultra thin TVs. Picture quality has also made giant strides.

But for most consumers, such incremental changes matter less and less. Why pay for great picture clarity when good quality will do. And why pay a premium for a TV when smartphones and tablet computers can offer a similar function and much more.

When South Korean Lee Sang-hyun decided to get his first television, his priority was to find a reasonably priced TV with a screen big enough to play games. The 30-year-old office worker had a tight budget after splurging on pricey gadgets: an iPhone, an iPad and a laptop computer.

To slim down, he picked a 42-inch plasma TV without fancy features. He paid 640,000 won ($550) - less than half of the highest-end television of the same size.

Consumers like Lee epitomize the tough challenges facing makers of high-end displays. As TVs no longer enjoy a monopoly over broadcasting moving images, consumers’ viewing habits are changing. People

are spending less time to watch live TV shows in the living room. Smartphones and tablet computers can stream live shows and videos on demand.

But Samsung and LG are giddy about a technological leap that they are comparing to the invention of the first color TV in the early 1950s. Short for organic light-emitting diode, the wafer-thin OLED TVs boast vivid, saturated colors and deeper contrast than the TV displays now available.

They hope the technology will help them command premium prices in the face of

quickly eroding TV profit margins and heightened competition from Chinese makers.

There is at least one catch in the near term though. As Samsung and LG are not yet prepared for mass production, the premium for this new technology will not be just a couple of hundred dollars. It will be several thousands.

Set to hit shelves in selected European, Asian and North American markets in time for the Christmas shopping season, the 55-inch OLED TVs by Samsung and LG will cost at least $9,000. That’s more than twice as

SEOUL: Visitors watch Samsung Electronics Co’s 3D television in a showroom at Samsung Electronics Co headquarters in Seoul, South Korea.

South Korean TV manufacturers are making billion dollar bets on a new display technology that promises an even thinner screen and imagery of eye-popping clarity. —AP

expensive as the top 55-inch model currently available.

OLED “is the closest to the display of dreams,” said Lee Kyungshik, vice president of Samsung’s TV business. Samsung’s visual display division, which makes TVs and home entertainment systems, accounted for about 17 percent of the company’s 45.3 trillion won ($39 billion) of revenue in the first quarter.

LG’s home electronics division contributed more than 40 percent of its 12.2 trillion won of quarterly revenue.

Samsung and LG have reason to be proud of their latest achievement in display technology. Even though Sony showed off the first OLED TV in 2007 with an 11-inch screen, a bigger display never followed. “Until the end of next year, only two companies in the world will have a capacity to make (large screen) OLED TVs: Samsung and LG,” said Jang Moonik, director of LG’s TV business.

The last year was tough for the entire TV industry as the European debt crisis and a slow turnaround in the US economy sapped demand for consumer electronics. The notable exceptions were smartphones and tablet computers.

Sales growth in LCD, or liquid crystal display, T Vs slowed and plasma T V sales dropped. In 2011, worldwide annual TV shipments fell for the first time since 2004, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

The feeble global demand hit Sony Corp. especially hard. It lost a record $5.7 billion in 2011. It was the eighth straight year that once-trend-setting Japanese firm lost money in its mainstay TV business.

Samsung and LG weathered the downturn in the TV industry well enough to keep cash to invest in production lines for the new display technology. They think its profitability will not fall as quickly as LCD TVs because the technological gap is wide enough to keep late-coming rivals at bay.— AP

Canon’s exciting offers for fans add to football fever

KUWAIT: As part of its ‘closer to customers’ strategy, Canon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, is taking more than 140 of its customers from the MENA region to Poland and Ukraine to catch the excitement of one of the world’s leading football tournaments.

Canon Middle East is providing its VIP clients with premium hotel stay and will be organising a number of networking meetings to establish closer ties with its top tier clientele in a relaxed atmosphere.

Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East, said: “Major sporting events present an excellent opportunity to meet our clients in an informal and friendly setting. Given the great popularity of football in the region, this is perhaps one of the best sporting events that we could select to entertain our partners.

This is in line with the great value that we place in the spirit of partnership, especially as we mark our tenth anniversary in the region.”

Canon has also introduced a number of exciting offers for its consumers and football fans. In May, Canon Middle East launched a photo/video competition themed ‘Celebrate your passion for football’. The competition ran till June 15th 2012 and invited football fans to share their passion for the game by sending photos or videos depicting, for example, friends singing fan songs for their favorite football teams or family members dressed in their favorite team’s jerseys.

In addition, Canon Europe is supporting UEFA to bring football fans around the world exclusive behind-thescenes images taken at the private training sessions of participating national teams, as well as images of all the action on the pitch in each match during the final tournament. These images are available to view from 8 June 2012 in the dedicated Canon photo gallery on the UEFA EURO 2012 website (http://www.uefa.com/canon).

Football fans attending the tournament and visiting

the official Fan Zones in Warsaw, Poland and Kiev, Ukraine will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken by Canon. Fans will be given a code to be entered on a special Canon Europe ‘Fan Zone’ microsite (www.canon-europe.com/football) where they will be able to access their images, send them as e-cards to friends, share them on Facebook or save them to keep as mementos of the UEFA EURO 2012 experience. Mai Youssef, Corporate Communications Manager, Canon Middle East, commented: “We have tried to make the UEFA EURO 2012(tm) tournament extra special for both our business customers as well as our consumers. We want to help football fans have a richer experience of the games through the power of image and to be able to share the festivities with their families and friends”.

Canon Europe has been a partner of the UEFA Euro competition since the 1980 edition (with the exception of UEFA EURO 2000).

Huawei takes rebranding bid to telecoms fair SINGAPORE: China’s Huawei Technologies is taking a campaign to transform itself into a global brand and leading smartphone maker to a major telecoms fair which opened in Singapore this week.

The Chinese tech behemoth is the biggest exhibitor at the four-day CommunicAsia expo which it sees as a launchpad for its ambition to

challenge Apple and Samsung and target itself at consumers and not just businesses.

Huawei’s expansive booth is showcasing its array of mobile devices, including one of its star products the Android-powered Ascend P1, which at 0.31 inches (7.69 millimeters) is slimmer than Apple’s iPhone 4S at 0.37 inches (9.3 mm). But as it sets its sights at industry leaders

HANOI: Thao Phuong, 28, IT engineer and an employee of Hanoi Posts Company works on her laptop as a part-time e-trader selling fruit in Hanoi. Vietnam’s young, tech-savvy population is turning to the Internet to break out of an economic system stifled by decades of communist rule, leading to a boom in e-commerce. — AFP

Apple and Samsung, it faces a difficult task to lure shoppers who have demonstrated a preference for well-established brand names.

“Basically, this CommunicAsia is a very important platform for us to really showcase how we are really committed to driving growth,” said Riadi Sugihtani, Huawei’s regional chief marketing officer.

“Of course there are some connotations with a Chinese brand, and being Huawei as a brand name of course it’s unmistakably Chinese,” he told AFP. “However, through lots of efforts we built the brand. We see that there is a clear improvement as far as acceptance by consumers across different geographies.”

Huawei, founded by a former People’s Liberation Army engineer, has established itself as a major force in the global telecoms industry where its technology is widely used to build mobile phone networks.

The company is a prime example of leading Chinese firms who are working aggressively to make the transition from being the world’s workshop to becoming top brands.

Earlier this year, Huawei also exhibited its range of smartphones at telecoms shows in Barcelona and Las Vegas. But analysts say that pulling off a consumer-focused image reinvention will not be easy.

“If Huawei has their eyes on becoming number one, they definitely have their work cut out for them,” said Melissa Chau, a Singapore-based regional research manager with IDC. “One of the challenges for Huawei is branding which is a long-term endeavour and Huawei hasn’t yet shown a lot of significant

differentiation and innovation yet that would encourage people to buy their smartphones,” she said.

The company sold 20 million smartphones globally in 2011 and is aiming to be the top Android-based smartphone maker by 2015, a position currently held by South Korea’s Samsung. Handset manufacturers are waging a fierce battle to capture the rapidly growing smartphone market.

Gartner, a technology research firm, said Samsung smartphones powered by Google’s Android operating software sold 38 million units in the March quarter, handing it back the number-one position from iPhone maker Apple which had sales of 33.12 million.

Samsung and Apple jointly make up 49.3 percent of the smartphone sector, with Nokia trailing badly with a 9.2 percent share, Gartner said.

It said Huawei sold almost 10.8 million mobile phones including smartphones in the March quarter, but did not give a figure for its smartphones alone. Huawei sold 20 million smartphones worldwide in 2011, according to Sugihtani. Huawei is also battling an image problem in the broader technology market due to its perceived close ties with the Chinese military and government.

It has recently been blocked from bidding for contracts on Australia’s ambitious national broadband project, reportedly due to concerns about cyber-security. The company has in the past also run afoul of US regulators and lawmakers because of worries over its links with the Chinese military and Beijing-fears that Huawei have dismissed. — AFP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Psoriasis tied to higher risk of diabetes NEWYORK: A new study shows that people with the chronic skin condition psoriasis may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as well, according to an international study involving more than half a million people. Researchers, whose results appeared in the Archives of Dermatology, found that this was especially true in those with severe psoriasis, who were 46 percent more likely to get a diabetes diagnosis than people without the condition, after weight and other health measures were taken into account.

Psoriasis is characterized by itchy, painful plaques on the skin. Previous studies have suggested the condition is tied to a higher chance of having heart disease, or suffering a heart attack or stroke, while other reports have hinted at a link between psoriasis and diabetes as well.

“We already knew that some of the risk factors for psoriasis and diabetes are similar, like weight,” said Rahat Azfar, at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and lead author of the study. “We do think that psoriasis itself makes people at higher risk.” For the study, Azfar and her colleagues consulted five years’ worth of electronic medical records from about 108,000 adults in the UK with psoriasis, and about 400,000 without. None of them had diabetes at the outset. They found that 3.7 percent of those with psoriasis were diagnosed with diabetes over the course of the study, compared with 3.4 percent of the comparison group. When patients’ age, weight and high blood pressure were accounted for, psoriasis was still

tied to a higher chance of developing diabetes, especially among the 6,200 people with severe psoriasis. In that group, 6.3 percent were diagnosed with diabetes.

According to the study team, the bodywide inflammation that is seen both in people with psoriasis and type 2 diabetes may explain the link between the two conditions.

Azfar said psoriasis may induce that chronic inflammation through changes in the bloodstream, thus upping the risk of diabetes. It could also be that people with psoriasis are more depressed or exercise less, helping to explain the difference in diabetes rates, said Robert Kirsner, a dermatologist from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who has studied psoriasis but was not involved in the study. So far, the data cannot prove that psoriasis directly causes diabetes. And there have not been any studies to show definitively whether the ointments, pills or injections used to treat psoriasis have any impact on a patient’s chance of getting diabetes, Azfar added.

Kirsner said that patients with psoriasis should talk with their doctors about other ways to reduce their diabetes risks, such as by adopting a healthier lifestyle. “(The study) suggests that patients with psoriasis perhaps should be followed more closely and may want to adhere to a better diet and all those things to prevent diabetes,” he said.

Two of the researchers reported financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, including those that make diabetes and psoriasis drugs.—Reuters

NEPAL: (Left) In this handout photograph from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal, conservationists from the WWF test an automated drone aircraft which will film tigers and rhinos in Chitwan National Park to protect them from poachers on June 12, 2012. (Right) In this photograph taken on December 2, 2011, a one-horned rhinoceros cub grazes Mikania Micrantha climber vine plants in Chitwan National Park, some 200kms southwest of Kathmandu. —AFP photos

Nepal launches drones to combat poachers KATHMANDU: Conservationists in Nepal are to send drone aircraft into the skies in the battle to save the Himalayan nation’s endangered tigers and rhinos from poachers.

WWF Nepal said it had successfully tested two unmanned “conser vation drones” earlier this month in Chitwan National Park, in Nepal’s southern plains, the home of a number of the world’s rarest

animals. The remote-controlled aircraft, being used for the first time in Nepal, would monitor the animals and poachers via cameras and GPS to capture images and video, the organisation said in a statement earlier this week. The aircraft, with a two-metre (6.5foot) wing span and a range of 25 kilometres (15.5 miles), can stay in the air for 45 minutes, flying at an altitude of up to 200 metres. “WWF

Nepal has been introducing new science and technology to aid ongoing conservation efforts in Nepal. The conservation drones are the latest addition,” said Anil Manandhar, the organisation’s representative in Kathmandu. “We believe that this technology will be instrumental in monitoring Nepal’s flagship species and curbing illegal wildlife trade.”

Thousands of tigers and greater

one-horned rhinos, also known as the Indian rhinoceros, once roamed Nepal and northern India but their numbers plunged over the last century due to poaching and human encroachment on their habitat. Rhinos are killed for their horns, which are prized for their reputed medicinal qualities in China and south-east Asia, while tiger skins, meat and bones are also in high demand.—AFP

Healthcare sees emerging future in frugal innovation Simpler, more mobile med tech aimed at emerging markets

GEORGIA: Mia Calvo, 19, chats with Kathy Colbenson in her apartment that is provided by CHRIS Kids, an Atlanta nonprofit that helps Georgia s mentally ill foster children.—MCT

Helping mental illness in foster children ATLANTA: Over the past 30 years, about 18,000 children have crossed the threshold at CHRIS Kids, an Atlanta nonprofit that helps Georgia’s mentally ill foster children. And so the organization’s longtime CEO Kathy Colbenson can rattle off the numbers like machine-gun fire to make her case for why more needs to be done upfront to help emotionally disturbed kids. She knows, for instance, that 35 percent of children in foster care are getting Medicaid-paid mental health services nationally; that 50 percent of children in foster care ages 6 to 11 are getting mental health services; and 60 percent of those age 12 and over are getting it.

Unfortunately, Colbenson said, that help often comes much too late or not at all.

“The child welfare system should be doing a trauma assessment on every child that enters care,” she said. Why? It would get kids the help they need on the front end, she said.

Generally, Colbenson said, children who enter foster care have been neglected or physically or sexually abused. Add to that the fact that they are re-traumatized each time they change homes, and it’s not surprising that the children who come to CHRIS Kids have emotional problems. Even children from stable environments, however, can suffer from mental illness, said Dr. Adolph Casal, practice director of psychiatry at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“Mental disorders in children are very common,” he said, “and we have some concern some disorders, including anxiety, bipolar disorder and autism, may be increasing in prevalence.” Casal said he probably sees one kid a week suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, three to four a week with bipolar disorder and four more with depression.

“For all of those,” he said, “children can be taught coping skills to help manage mental illness in the same way people can be taught to manage a physical illness such as diabetes.”

“So there is a lot of hope, because there is a lot we can do,” he said. Child advocacy organizations have studied the issue. According to a Casey Family Programs study, youths who age out of foster care have twice the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder as veterans of the 1991 Gulf War. A 2012 report from Fostering Connections found nearly 30 percent had multiple criminal convictions and more than half had one or more incidences of homelessness.

In all, CHRIS Kids-which has a combination of charitable funding and state and local government contracts-operates eight group homes for kids in foster care who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Most have had an average of seven prior placements and are on an average of 2.3 medications that treat severe mental health problems.

“It’s bad,” Colbenson said.While the numbers are important, Colbenson said they tell only half the story. The other half is the fleshand-blood tales of children, like the little boy who would fly into a rage for no apparent reason, and like Mia Calvo, who was adopted at

age 3, rejected again at 13, and on her own at 19. She came to CHRIS Kids in 2010, shortly after graduating from high school in Florida, where she had moved in hopes of being adopted again.

“It didn’t work out, though,” said Calvo, one of about 44 young adults ages 17 to 24 living at Summit Trail, the agency’s apartment complex. Because her case originated in Atlanta, the then-17-year-old was forced to move back to Georgia to a temporary foster care home. “I felt like I’d wasted time,” she said. “I thought I was going to be adopted, but I should’ve been preparing myself to be on my own.” Instead of adoption, Calvo said, she suffered more of the same: verbal, physical and sexual abuse and rejection.

“I was big on bottling up everything because I always felt I needed to be strong,” she said. “And I was, but I was so angry. I didn’t trust anyone.” She said the anger manifested itself every time she sat down to cut herself. “By the time I was 16, I was on four or five different medications for depression, bipolar disorder,” she said.

The only good thing that came from her move to Florida, she said, was that her therapist weaned her off the medication. In Atlanta, she said, her case manager referred her to CHRIS Kids, where she is learning coping and life skills that she will need to be an independent contributing citizen. “I’ve always been independent, but having the support has made the transition a lot easier,” Calvo said. “They provided a lot of workshops on independent living, budgeting, banking, all the things I needed.”

At the end of the day, Colbenson said, CHRIS Kids’ mission is to heal children, strengthen families and build community (the acronym stands for creativity, honor, respect, integrity and safety). “We are dedicated to unlocking the potential in each child and family so that they can become taxpaying, contributing citizens,” she said.

But to do that, Colbenson said, more needs to be done on the front end to assess children’s mental health so that they get the help they really need. She said that her agency has been working with the Division of Family and Children Services on developing a policy on trauma assessments. Under current policy, children entering the system are given social and psychological assessments, but neither screens for trauma. Colbenson said that three decades ago, when she joined CHRIS Kids, the children might suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. Today, they come to her with multiple mental health issues. “These kids have suffered so much trauma, the older they get, the more it takes to help get them on the right track,” she said.

But she agrees with Casal: There is a great deal of hope. “I’ve seen a remarkable resilience in our kids,” she said. “We just have to make it a priority to give them the help they need to become contributing citizens.

As a taxpayer and a donor, I’d much rather pay money on the front end for a good outcome than pay for prisons.”—MCT

LONDON: When Argentinian car mechanic Jorge Odon was joking around with friends about how to get a cork out of an empty wine bottle using only a plastic bag, his thoughts were a long way from problem of maternal mortality. Yet in the middle of the night, it struck him that the problem with the cork and the bottle was remarkably similar to obstructed labour, when a baby can’t get through the birth canal and puts its own and its mother’s life at risk.

Despite his wife’s scepticism - when he shook her awake to tell her his brilliant idea, she apparently told him to go back to sleep - Odon patented his idea, got partners on board and developed the “Odon device” which is now in trials. If the enthusiasm shown by Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), is borne out, he’ll go down in history as inventor of the first new assisted delivery device since vacuum suction and forceps were introduced decades and centuries ago. His simple device slides a disposable plastic sheath around the baby’s head, allowing an attendant to pull the baby out. As well as providing a cheap and safe alternative to forceps and vacuum pumps, it could protect the baby from the transmission of HIV or other infections in the birth canal. “It’s inexpensive, it’s ingenious, and it’s so simple it can be used by lower level staff,” Chan told a meeting of global health experts in London last week. “If it is approved, it would give resourcepoor settings something they very badly need - a new life-saving tool.”

healthcare innovation must always make something more high-tech, more sophisticated, more complex - and hence more expensive.

With this kind of disruptive innovation, sometimes called “frugal innovation”, instead of adding yet more bells and whistles, the idea is strip down to the bare necessities. “Disruptive innovation basically answers the question - instead of making what we already have better, and therefore more expensive and less accessible, can we instead introduce something more affordable, more convenient and more accessible to more people,” said Jason Hwang, director of healthcare at the California-based Innosight Institute think tank. It’s not necessarily about lower spec, or lower quality, but it is definitely about lower barriers to access. The best way to achieve this kind of innovation, according to executives at GE Healthcare, one of the leaders in the field, is to be “in country for country” - an approach it has taken in developing handheld mobile ultrasound and electrocardiogram (ECG) scanners for use in regions where health clinics are few and far between, but the needs of the people are just as great. For Mike Hess, an expert in cardiac rhythm disease management at the medical device firm Medtronic, it’s also about reducing the likelihood a product might fail in potentially high-volume and lucrative emerging markets.

“If you develop a product for an air-conditioned, power-stable, sterile environment and then put it into an environment where none of those things are true, it’s likely to fail,” he told the conference.

QUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY Odon is not alone in pursuing such low-tech solutions. Big companies like General Electric and Siemens, who build some of the world’s most complex and costly pieces of healthcare kit, are also working to develop cheaper medical devices that can secure sales in emerging markets and, potentially, win business at home. The new wave of thinking effectively turns on its head the idea that

MARKET OPPORTUNITY There’s nothing startlingly new about companies adapting their products or the way they sell them to suit the needs and capabilities of poorer people in emerging markets. After all, single cigarettes are sold from kiosks in places where many people cannot afford to buy a full pack. Consumer goods firms like Unilever sell shampoo in single-use sachets for the same reason. British drugmaker

GlaxoSmithKline sells single tablets of its painkiller Panadol in India. But some experts think the healthcare industry in general has been behind the curve.

While frugal cars, computers and mobile phones have rapidly become entrenched in emerging markets, there has been a tendency until recently to view large swathes of the developing world as a lost cause rather than a medical market opportunity.

Ali Mufuruki, chief executive of the Infotech Investment Group in Tanzania, said healthcare firms would do well to learn lessons from other industries. Citing Coca Cola’s high-profile advertising campaign, which pictures young Africans above the slogan “a billion reasons to believe in Africa”, Mufuruki says he’d like to see healthcare giants adopt a similar attitude. “Coca-Cola sees a business opportunity in every African. We (in the healthcare industry) need to look at Africans not as needy, poor, problematic customers but as people with special needs that we can work to meet.” Medtronic, the world’s largest medical devices company, says it’s got the message. Chief Executive Omar Ishrak told Reuters in January his researchers were now working to bring low-cost implantable devices to patients in Asia, Latin America and Africa. The US firm has identified heart pacemakers as the most likely area for initial research and development.

MODERN-DAY BAREFOOT DOCTORS Other experts point to history and say the health industry just needs to bring up to date what it has done before. Sailesh Chutani’s Seattle-based startup firm Mobisante took its lesson from China’s 1960s Cultural Revolution, when Mao Zedong sought to address a critical shortage of medics in rural areas by giving basic training to an army of “barefoot doctors” and sent them out to provide essential care.

Mobisante’s solution has been to develop a smartphone ultrasound probe called the Mobius which works like its full-sized big brother but fits into your pocket like a mobile phone.—Reuters

Science lacks on 9/11 and cancer NEW YORK: Call it compassionate, even political but scientific? Several experts say there’s no hard evidence to support the federal government’s declaration this month that 50 kinds of cancer could be caused by exposure to World Trade Center dust.

The decision could help hundreds of people get payouts from a multibillion-dollar World Trade Center health fund to repay those ailing after they breathed in toxic dust created by the collapsing twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

But scientists say there is little research to prove that exposure to the toxic dust plume caused even one kind of cancer. And many acknowledge the payouts to cancer patients could take money away from those suffering from illnesses more definitively linked to Sept. 11, like asthma and laryngitis. “To imagine that there is strong evidence about any cancer resulting from 9/11 is naive in the extreme,” said Donald Berry, a biostatistics professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Yet this month, Dr. John Howard, who heads the federal agency that researches workplace illnesses, added scores of common and rare cancers to a list that had previously included just 12 ailments caused by dust exposure.

Lung, skin, breast and thyroid cancer were among those added; of the most common types of cancer, only prostate cancer was excluded. “We recognize how personal the issue of cancer and all of the health conditions related to the World Trade Center tragedy are to 9/11 responders, survivors and their loved ones,” Howard said in a June 8 statement. He declined requests for an interview with The Associated Press. His decision, based on an advisory panel’s recommendation, will go through a public comment period and additional review before its final.

Several factors about the decision by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health raised eyebrows in the scientific community: Only a few of the 17 people on the advisory panel are experts at tracking cancer and weighing causal risks; they were outnumbered by occupational physicians and advocates for Sept. 11 rescue

and cleanup workers. Exposure to a cancer-causing agent doesn’t necessarily mean someone will develop cancer. And if they do, conventional medical wisdom says it generally takes decades. But the panel agreed to cover those diagnosed with cancer within just a few years of the disaster. The panel members favoured adding cancers if there was any argument to include them.

They added thyroid cancer because a study found a higher-than-expected number of cases in firefighters who responded to 9/11, even though thyroid cancer is generally linked to genetics or high doses of radiation. The same study found a lower-than-expected number of lung cancers, but it was added because it was considered a plausible consequence of inhaling toxins at the site. Even lawyers for the first responders were stunned: They had expected to see only certain blood and respiratory cancers put on the list.

“I understand the urge to want to compensate and reward the heroes and victims of that tragedy,” said Dr. Alfred Neugut, a Columbia University oncologist and epidemiologist. But “if we’re using medical compensation as the means to that, then we should be scientifically rigorous about it.”

When the twin towers collapsed, much of lower Manhattan was enveloped in a dense cloud of pulverized glass and cement that left people in the area gasping for air. Fires smoldered in the rubble pile for weeks. Many workers labored in the ash wearing only flimsy paper masks, and went home coughing up black phlegm. Years later, some were still experiencing mild respiratory problems.

After Sept. 11, the government established the Victim Compensation Fund, which paid out about $7 billion for the nearly 3,000 deaths from the attacks and for injuries, including some rescuers with lung problems. In late 2010, Congress set up two programs for anyone exposed to the rubble, smoke and dust at ground zero: rescue and cleanup workers and others who worked or lived in the area. Cancer was initially excluded, but Congress ordered periodic reviews based on the latest scientific evidence. One $1.55 billion program is for treatment for any illness determined to

be related to ground zero. The second $2.78 billion fund is to compensate people who suffered economic losses or a diminished quality of life because of their illness. Both programs expire in 2016, but could be extended. How many people might apply isn’t clear. In the decade since the attacks, about 60,000 people have enrolled in the two health programs for those who lived or worked within the disaster zone of lower Manhattan. Many have signed up for medical monitoring, but around 16,000 have been getting treatment annually.

Every new illness added to the list means less money for the group as a whole, especially when dealing with major diseases like cancer, acknowledged Sheila Birnbaum, the special master handling applications to the compensation fund.

Registration for the compensation program only began in October. How the money will be divvied up, or whether it will be enough, isn’t clear, Birnbaum said. People with the gravest health problems would get the largest amounts, with cancer payments likely among the most sizable.

Applicants could qualify for treatments and payments as long as they and their doctors make a plausible case that their disease was connected to the caustic dust. But is Sept. 11 really to blame for every cancer case?

Overall, roughly 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will get cancer over their lifetimes. And generally, the more you look for cancer, the more cases you find. People worried that they got sick from the World Trade Center attacks are likely going to doctors more than other people. So some slow-growing cancers that started before 9/11 but were found afterward could end up being blamed on the fallout.

Reggie Hilaire was a rookie police officer when the hijacked planes flew into the World Trade Center. He spent the initial weeks after the attacks patrolling Harlem, miles away from the disaster zone, then was sent to Staten Island, where he spent weeks at a city landfill sorting through rubble and looking for human remains. At the landfill, he wore a Tyvek suit, boots, gloves and a respirator to protect him. —AP

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

US women in 20s less likely to get pregnant or have abortion Pregnancy rates for U.S. women in their early 20s fell nearly 18 percent from 1990 to 2008 and their abortion rate dropped by 32 percent, as those women delayed the decision to have a baby and used more effective birth control, said a government report released yesterday. The findings for women in their prime child bearing years mirror similar studies showing declines in pregnancies and abortions among teenagers. The report from the National Center for Health Statistics stated that in 2008, the pregnancy rate for the 20 to 24 age group was 163 per 1,000 women.

By comparison, in 1990 that demographic had a pregnancy rate of 198.5 per 1,000, which was nearly 18 percent higher than in 2008.

Pregnancy rates for women between the ages of 25 and 29 fell a more modest 6 percent during the same time period, to 167.9 per 1,000, according to statistics in the report. The abortion rate also declined among women in their early 20s, to 38.4 per 1,000 women in 2008 from 56.7 per 1,000 in 1990, the report said. That represented a drop of 32 percent. Again, the drop was more modest for women in their late 20s, as their abortion rate fell to 28.6 per 1,000 in 2008, from 33.9 per 1,000 in 1990, the report said. A report by the Guttmacher Institute released in February, based on government statistics, showed the teen abortion rate was down 59 percent in 2008 compared with 1988, and that in 2008 the teen pregnancy rate had fallen 42 percent compared to 1990. The new report extends some of those trends to

women who are beyond their teenage years.

“It’s not just the teens. Abortion rates are down across the board,” said Stephanie Ventura, an author of the National Center for Health Statistics report, which is titled “Estimated Pregnancy Rates and Rates of Pregnancy Outcomes for the United States, 19902008.” While the pregnancy rates are down for teens and women in their 20s, they are up for women in their 30s and 40s, the report found. That is consistent with previous research. Women between 40 and 44 had a dramatic increase in pregnancy rates of nearly 65 percent from 1990 to 2008, the report said. There were 18.8 pregnancies per 1,000 women in that age group in 2008, compared with 11.4 per 1,000 in 1990.

Women in their 20s are “postponing pregnancy,” Ventura said. Another reason for the decrease in pregnancies among younger women is more effective birth control methods, including the combined use of condoms and other methods such as contraceptive patches that release hormones, she said.“If the pregnancy rates are down, including both births and abortion rates, that would show more efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies,” Ventura said.

The report said that overall for all age groups in 2008, 65percent of pregnancies ended in a live birth in 2008, 18 percent in an abortion and 17 percent in fetal loss. In 1990, 61 percent of pregnancies ended in a live birth and 24 percent were aborted, with 15 percent resulting in fetal loss.—Reuters

NEW YORK: (Left) Olympian and mom Summer Sanders helps launch the GE HealthyShare App for Facebook by demonstrating her workout challenge to an exercise class. (Right and below) Summer Sanders demonstrates her workout challenge to an exercise class.—AP photos

Facebook, GE launch Olympics app NEW YORK: Facebook and General Electric launched an Olympics-themed app to get people to share health goals with their friends, from eating better to exercising. Called HealthyShare, the free application gives users health challenges inspired by Olympic hopefuls such as basketball player Kevin Durant, sprinter Michael Johnson and swimmer

Summer Sanders. Users can share health and fitness goals they achieved through the app.

Goals range from going for a walk to eating healthier or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The app also includes rudimentary workout challenges from the athletes. The idea is to get people to share fitness goals and inspire their friends to do the same.—AP

Palaeontologists catch turtles in flagrante

KIEV: An activist dressed as an overweight Ukrainian lawmaker wearing a glittery purple suit pulls a cart of mock banknotes outside the parliament building to hand out to Ukrainians infected with HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis.—AP

Ukraine officials urged to increase AIDS spending KIEV: Health advocacy groups are urging Ukrainian government to dramatically increase spending for the treatment of HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis. Several organizations yesterday urged Ukrainian leaders and legislators to channel one third of the money usually earmarked for the treatment of lawmakers and officials toward millions of Ukrainians afflicted with these diseases.

An activist dressed as an overweight

national lawmaker in a glittery purple suit pushed a cart full of mock banknotes outside the parliament building and then handed them over to the sick.

Dmytro Sherembey of the All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV said transferring the funds toward tens of thousands of people in desperate need of treatment would be an act of humanity. Ukraine has one of Europe’s worst AIDS epidemics.—AP

PARIS: German palaeontologists have dug up the remains of nine turtle pairs that died while mating some 47 million years ago, sinking into poisonous waters while locked in a final embrace, a report said yesterday. The find represents the first-ever fossil record of copulating vertebrates (animals with a backbone), said a report in the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters. “Millions of animals live and die every year and many enter the fossil record through serendipitous circumstances, but there really is no reason to enter the fossil record while you are mating,” coauthor Walter Joyce told AFP about the rarity of the find. “The chances of both partners dying at the same time are highly unlikely and the chances of both partners being preserved afterwards even less likely.” The discovery at the Messel Pit fossil site between Darmstadt and Frankfurt in Germany allowed the team to deduct that the waters of the Messel Lake had been hospitable enough to allow turtles to live and mate.

But the animals died accidentally when they sank while locked together into deeper, poisonous layers, their skins absorbing the noxious substances in the volcanic lake.

“There is no doubt that this lake killed many unsuspecting animals,” said Joyce of the University of Tuebingen. The paper said animals do not typically die while undertaking daily routines like eating, brooding their nests or mating, leaving scientists to rely on conjecture to determine what their behav-

iour would have been like. The paper said it was common in fresh water turtles for the couple to freeze into a mating position. “If mounting occurs in the open water, the mat-

ing couple is likely to thereby sink to considerable depths,” it said-possibly explaining why so many individuals fell into the same death trap.—AFP

Scientists lead rat race for better PET scan PARIS: Scientists in Australia have devised a method of scanning lab rats’ brains as they scurry about freely, eliminating the need for anaesthesia or forced restraint, a report said yesterday.

Lab rats currently have to be anaesthetised for most PET (positron emission tomography) scans, as any movement would distort the three-dimensional images used to study the functioning of organs. But the drugs can change brain activity and prevent scientists from measuring what would have been the animals’ normal behaviour. Forcible restraint without anaesthesia, in turn, stresses the animals and may alter the brain function scientists are seeking to measure.

The study of rodent brains has been an important tool in neuroscience development and drug development. “Many power ful experiments to study brain function and correlate it with animal behaviour would become possible if animals could be imaged whilst

awake and unrestrained,” study team member Andre Kyme told AFP. To this end, the team has devised a non-invasive, “harmless and painless” method of tracking the motion of a rat’s head and correcting for the movement, according to a report in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. All the data collected is adjusted on the basis of the motion measured, so that useful 3D images can be reconstructed, explained Kyme of the University of Sydney School of Physics.

“The present study provides further evidence that rats which are awake and unrestrained, especially those able to behave normally, can have their motion tracked relatively simply and inexpensively,” he said. “The conclusion is that compensating for the motion of awake rats, even those which are free to move and behave normally, is eminently feasible.”

Routine PET imaging of awake, freely-moving rats “could become a reality in the next few years”, said Kyme.—AFP

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

WHAT’S ON Greetings

enault and Citroen Marketing Manager at Al-Babtain Group celebrated the eleventh birthday of his daughter, Aisha Shahed, in a ceremony attended by family and friends.

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Announcements Open House for Indian citizens pen House for Indian citizens by the ambassador which is being held every alternate Wednesday has been found useful by the Indian community and the embassy. It will now be held on every Wednesday from June 2012 between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs. in the embassy. During the month of June, 2012 the dates for the open house fall on 20th and 27th of the month. In case Wednesday is an embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

To ensure timely action/follow-up by the embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents. It may be mentioned that embassy of Indiaís Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the Consular Officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall.

For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) could be contacted.

Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances. Similarly, a labour wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labour Hall to address the labour related issues.

There is also a 24x7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labourers in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attaches in the labour section and the head of the labour wing could be contacted.

Movenpick organizes summer outing for its employees ailaka Island has been the destination for this year’s M?venpick Hotel Kuwait - Free Trade Zone annual employees’ summer outing. The recent organized two-day get -together has given the employees an opportunity to visit one of the most famous historical islands in Kuwait and to learn about the

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‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

Free Arabic course IPC is opening an Intensive Basic Arabic Course for ladies commencing from June 3 to July 8, 2012. The class will be from 5-7 pm for three days a week. Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

Summer Scrabble for kids

he Embassy of India, Kuwait in cooperation with National Council for Arts, Culture & Letters, Kuwait will hold an Indian musical evening on Friday, June 29 at 8 pm at Kuwait National Museum Auditorium, Gulf Road.

Shujaat Husain Khan, one of the greatest North Indian classical musicians, will perform on the occasion.

Shujaat Khan belongs to the Imdad Khan gharana of the sitar and his style of playing sitar, known as the gayaki ang, is imitative of the subtleties of the human voice. Shujaat Khan’s musical pedigree extends seven generations. He is the son and disciple of the great sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan, and his grandfather, Ustad Inayat Khan, his great-grandfather, Ustad Imdad Khan, and his great-great-grandfather, Ustad Sahebdad Khan, were all leading artists of their respective generations.

Khan’s musical career began at the age of three when he began practicing on a specially made small sitar. By the

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upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ation .The company cares for their well being - we are one family here in M?venpick Hotel Kuwait and this is their home away from home.”

age of six, he was recognized as a child prodigy and began giving public performances. Shujaat Khan has performed at all the prestigious music festivals in India and has performed throughout Asia, Africa, North America, and Europe.

Audiences around the world are captivated by his unique style of sitar playing, his exceptional voice, and his intuitive and spontaneous approach to rhythm.

In 1999, Khan performed as a soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and in 2007, he was the featured artist at musical concerts celebrating India’s 50th anniversary of independence at Carnegie Hall in New York, Paramount Theatre in Seattle, and Meyers Symphony Theater in Dallas. Khan was also the sole artist representing India in a

special performance at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in Geneva commemorating India’s independence the same year. Alongside his many notable performances, Khan has been a regularly featured artist at prestigious concert halls including Royal Albert Hall in London, Royce Hall in Los Angeles, and Congress Hall in Berlin.

Shujaat Khan has also collaborated with different genres of music. The Rain, an album featuring Shujaat Khan and the Indo-Persian Ghazal ensemble, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for “Best Traditional World Music Album”. In January 2000, the Boston Herald listed Khan’s concert, along with luminaries like Seiji Ozawa and Luciano Pavarotti, as one of the top 25 upcoming cultural events for the year.

Additionally, among the numerous

awards and international recognition he has received, Khan’s Lost Songs of the Silk Road was honored on Amazon.com’s “The 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time” list in Aug 2009.

In 2010, Shujaat Khan worked with Asha Bhosle in releasing Naina Lagai Ke. The two performed in sell out concerts at Royal Festival Hall in London, and at concerts in Birmingham and Leicester. Their album was selected as a “Top Ten Best New Album Release” by the editor of Songlines Magazine and was featured in the magazine’s exclusive “Top of the World CD” in 2011.

Shujaat Khan has been invited as visiting faculty at the Dartington School of Music in England, the University of Washington in Seattle, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has more than 100 CD releases on a variety of international labels, as well as a video called KHANDAN.

SriLankan honors new managers riLankan Airlines Kuwait recently held a function at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Kuwait to honor their newly appointed Head of World Sale, Lal Perera, and to welcome their new Regional Manager Samantha Nagahawatte.

Perera, who was based in Kuwait, was working as the Regional Manager - Middle East & Africa prior to his new posting. A veteran of the company for over 30 years, Perera has extensive experience in Sri Lanka and overseas. His proven track record with SriLankan Airlines has led to his promotion as Head of

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Worldwide Sales (HWS) with effect from June 2012. Based out of Sri Lanka, Perera will be heading the entire SriLankan sales force spread across 24 countries.

Prior to his posting to Kuwait, the new Regional Manager for Middle-East & Africa, Nagahawatte, held the post of SriLankan Airlines Manager for Saudi Arabia. At the function, staff and well-wishers of SriLankan Airlines joined in welcoming and felicitating the new Head of Worldwide Sales and the new Regional Manager.

New General Manager at Movenpick Bida’a he international upscale hotel company, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has appointed Maged Gubr General Manager of Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait.

Previously, Maged was the General Manager of Movenpick Hotel Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Maged has worked for many international hotel companies and his

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swimming in the pool, and enjoying water activities in the island’s Wanasa beach. They were also treated to a sumptuous and delicious lunch. Beat Peter the General Manager of the Hotel said: “It is very important to provide our employees with recreation and sports activities, and to show them our appreci-

Indian musical evening by Shujaat Husain Khan

ood news for kids still here during the summer vacations. You can join up with me to learn some tricks, tips and how to play Scrabble the right way! Need to know more? Then register with me Rohaina at 66634224 or at rainaveer@hotmail.com. You will be given Scrabble boards and have loads of fun games, mind games and quizzes. If this sounds fun, then call soon. Classes will end on July 26th. Classes are on Thursdays ONLY and from 2.30 - 4.00 pm. Loads of fun and games in store.

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ancient and the modern history of the country. The island is rich of cultural and historical landmarks from different ages especially from the end of the third millennium BC till the modern age.

The employees have spent their day at the Failaka Heritage Village - sightseeing and learning about Kuwait’s history,

career included key leadership roles in very well-known hotels throughout USA, Canada and the Middle East.

In his role, Maged will not only focus on maintaining the exceptional reputation of Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a, but will continue to strengthen its appeal by introducing new services and strategies to add to the experience of guests and visitors. His philosophy is not only to be a hands-on manager but

to be a leader and support to his team to bring the hotel forward in all aspects.

“I am thrilled to be given the honour of managing this wonderful property.

Our goal is to constantly exceed our customers’ expectations and to continuously provide exceptional Swiss hospitality and personalized genuine care to all our guests,” said Maged. “Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait has taken the leadership in the Kuwait market and we aim to be at the same spot for years to come,” he added.

Maged brings along tremendous experience in the hospitality industry, having worked in many countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, USA and Canada. Maged holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and Administration from University Cairo, Egypt.

“With his long track record in the luxury hospitality industry, in Canada and the Middle East, Maged is bringing us his wealth of experience gathered over the years in many properties around the World. We are delighted to have him onboard and look forward to further strengthening the hotel as the business and leisure destination of Kuwait and reaching new service excellence heights,” said Sami Ayari, CEO of Argana Hotels & Resorts, Owning Company of Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait.

Kala (Art) Kuwait Malayalam classes start lasses for learning Malayalam have started in Riggai by Kala(Art) Kuwait, Riggai Unit. The inaugural ceremony was held in Riggai during which G. Koyikkaleth, Social Activist, opened the class.

The function was welcomed by Kala(Art) Kuwait General Secretary Jaison Joseph and presided by President Sam Kutty Thomas. Founder Member C. Bhaskaran, Executive Members Mukesh V. P, K Hassan Koya, K. Sadik and parent’s representative Sudhakaran and Shibu

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addressed the function. Kala(Art) Kuwait Treasurer Binu Sukumaran delivered vote of thanks. The function were coordinated

by A. Mohanan, Aji Kumar and V. Mohanan.

Those who are willing to attend the class may be contacted at phone nos.

97449419 (K Sadik), 99489078 (Samkutty Thomas), 97839714 (A.Mohanan) & by email kalakuwait@gmail.com.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian ConsulateGeneral in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm ■■■■■■■

IDF president Dr Amir Ahmed addresses the gathering. From right to left seated on the stage are Dr Vinod Grover (Vice-President); Dr Sameer Humad (Sec-Finance); Dr Radhakrishna Panicker (Treasurer); Dr Jasneet Narang (Sec-Cultural); Dr Narayan Nampoory (Chairman); Dr Divya Damodar (Jt SecCultural); Dr Jaganath RC (General Secretary); Dr Nazim Parkar (Jt Treasurer); Dr Shankar (Jt Sec - Community Welfare) and Dr Jaffer Ismail (SecCommunity Welfare).

IDF elects new office-bearers he annual general body meeting of Indian Doctors Forum (IDF) was held at Kuwait Medical Association Hall at Jabriya. Dr Surendra Nayak welcomed the members and conducted the proceedings of the meeting. Dr Nampoory delivered the Presidential Address. Two amendments to the bylaws was proposed and passed by the members.

Accordingly Dr Narayan Nampoory’s nomination as Chairman to the forum by the outgoing executive committee was ratified by the house for a period of two years. In addition two additional posts of joint secretaries was sanctioned

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by the house. Dr Muraligopal, General Secretary presented the various activities conducted by the forum in the past two years. Financial report was presented by the Treasurer, Dr PC Nair and the web report was presented by the Web Manager, Dr Noble Zacharia. Felicitation speeches were delivered by Dr Ramesh Pandita; Dr Riyaz Khan and Dr Prasad Nair. The Chief Election Officer, Dr Arvind Rao then declared the results of the new office bearers for 2012 - 2014 as follows: Dr Amir Ahmed (President); Dr Vinod Grover (Vice-President); Dr Usha Rajaram (Vice-President); Dr Jaganath

Chodankar (General Secretary); Dr Radhakrishna Panicker (Treasurer); Dr Suraj Davis (Web Manager); Dr Arun Joshi (Secretary - Membership Welfare); Dr Jafer Ismail (Secretary - Community Affairs); Dr Jasneet Narang (Secretary Cultural Affairs); Dr Sameer Humad (Secretary - Finance); Dr Divya Damodar (Jt Sec - Cultural); Dr Shankar (Jt Secretary - Community); Dr Nazim Parkar (Jt Treasurer) and Dr Sunil Kodali (Asst Web Manager).

In his acceptance speech, Chairman of the forum, Dr Nampoory assured the members of his continued support and guidance to the various activities of the

forum. Addressing the gathering for the first time, the newly elected President Dr Ahmed thanked the members for the honor and privilege bestowed upon the entire team. He appreciated and commended the excellent work done by the outgoing committee and promised the members that IDF would reach new heights and glory during the upcoming two years. Dr Chodankar, General Secretary delivered the vote of thanks.

This was followed by an entertaining cultural program and the evening concluded with dinner.

EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN Please be advised that the British Embassy Consular Section will be starting online appointment booking for our consular customers from Sunday, July 1, 2012. All information including how to make an appointment will be available on the embassy website from June 24, 2012.

You will also be able to book appointments on the embassy website from June 24, 2012. Please be aware that from July 1, 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers. We will provide regular updates every Thursdays throughout June. For the latest FCO travel advice please visit: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-eastnorth-africa/kuwait ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturday to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm ■■■■■■■

Movenpick hosts summer camp t’s that time of the year again, time to let your children forget about their homework and bring on the fun and enjoyment. Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a is hosting a four-week summer camp from June 17th until July 12th, and is open for girls and boys between the ages of 4 and 12 years old.

The summer camp will include a wide range of

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activities, games, parties, open days, field trips, prizes and much more. This year’s summer camp is organised

by Argana Hotels & Resorts, Owning Company of Movenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bida’a Kuwait. “The summer camp is a great opportunity for children to have a great summer holiday, learn new things and make new friends.” Said Sami Ayari, CEO of Aragana Hotels &

Resorts. “All summer camp activities will be taught in a playful manner to make it more interesting and enjoyable for kids and under the supervision of well-trained stuff.” Sami added.

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform Kenyan residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that with effect from June 1, 2012 the Embassy has moved from its current location to a new location in Surra Block 1, Street 8, Villa 303.

Please note that the new telephone and fax numbers will be communicated as soon as possible. For enquiries you can contact Consular Section on mobile 90935162 or 97527306.

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EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal has moved to a new location in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

Mindshare organizes day of fun at Kuwait Autism Centre s part of a regional CSR plan across the MENA region, Mindshare Kuwait recently organized a day of fun and entertainment for over 120 children at the Kuwait Autism Centre. The day was planned to put a smile on the children’s faces and provide

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a change to the their usual routine.

The fun-filled day provided plenty of opportunities for interaction between the Mindshare team and the center staff and children including competitive games, entertainment and clown shows. The

event concluded with a lively lunch.

Elie Farah, Managing Director Mindshare Kuwait, said: “We feel really privileged to have been able to spend time with the children today.

They were great fun and it was really humbling for us to see

how much hard work, dedication and effort the center staff put in every day for these kids.

The work they do is fantastic and it was, quite frankly, a real eye-opener for us”.

“Mindshare takes it social responsibilities very seriously, and we believe we can have a

real impact in the places where we live and work. I just hope that our own small contribution here in Kuwait City goes some way to giving something back our community”

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 I’m Alive 02:35 Monster Bug Wars 03:30 Wildest Arctic 04:25 Mutant Planet 05:20 Animal Kingdom 05:45 Animal Battlegrounds 06:10 Cell Dogs 07:00 Escape To Chimp Eden 07:25 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Extraordinary Dogs 09:35 Extraordinary Dogs 10:05 Mutant Planet 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Animal Cops Philadelphia 12:50 Wild Africa Rescue 13:15 Wild Africa Rescue 13:45 Bondi Vet 14:10 Wildlife SOS 14:40 Mutant Planet 15:30 Animal Kingdom 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 17:25 Dogs 101 18:20 World’s Ugliest Dog Competition 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:35 Predator’s Prey 21:05 Mutant Planet 22:00 Whale Wars: Viking Shores 22:55 Max’s Big Tracks 23:50 Last Chance Highway

00:05 Come Dine With Me 00:55 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 01:25 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 01:50 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 02:15 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 02:45 MasterChef 03:10 Living In The Sun 04:00 Delicious Iceland 04:30 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 04:55 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 05:20 James Martin’s Champagne 05:40 Indian Food Made Easy 06:10 MasterChef 06:35 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 07:00 Living In The Sun 07:50 MasterChef Australia 08:40 MasterChef Australia 09:05 Bargain Hunt 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Come Dine With Me 11:35 10 Years Younger 12:25 The Restaurant UK 13:25 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant 13:50 Delicious Iceland 14:20 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 15:05 Bargain Hunt 15:55 Antiques Roadshow 16:45 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 A Taste Of My Life 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:50 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 19:20 James Martin’s Favourite Feasts 19:45 Antiques Roadshow 20:35 The Restaurant UK 21:30 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant 21:55 Delicious Iceland 22:20 Bargain Hunt 23:05 Antiques Roadshow 23:55 Come Dine With Me

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40

Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races

05:00 05:25 05:50 06:00 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:25 15:50 16:15

The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Dexters Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Dastardly And Muttley Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:25 Eliot Kid 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Regular Show 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 11:50 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10: Alien Force 13:30 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 13:55 Camp Lazlo 14:45 Powerpuff Girls 15:35 Angelo Rules 16:25 The Marvelous Misadventures...

16:50 Grim Adventures Of...

17:15 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:40 Adventure Time 17:50 Adventure Time 18:05 Regular Show 18:30 Ben 10 18:55 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:20 Hero 108 19:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 20:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:00 Ben 10: Alien Force 21:25 The Powerpuff Girls 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport Talk Asia World Report World Report

10:00 World Sport 10:30 I Report For CNN 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 Amanpour 12:30 Aiming For Gold 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 18:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Aiming For Gold 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 21:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 Shine 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:05 16:00 Shine 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Worst-Case Scenario Surviving Disaster Dynamo: Magician Impossible Mythbusters Dirty Dozen Mythbusters Surviving Disaster How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Gold Rush Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Sons Of Guns Battle Machine Bros Extreme Explosions Border Security Auction Kings Ultimate Survival Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Wheeler Dealers Gold Rush Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Auction Kings South Beach Classics Sons Of Guns Nothing Personal Kidnap And Rescue

00:35 Man Made Marvels Asia 01:25 Colony 02:15 Alien Encounters 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Smash Lab 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:15 Man Made Marvels Asia 06:05 What’s That About?

07:00 Alien Encounters 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Bang Goes The Theory 08:20 Sci-Fi Science 08:50 Sport Science 09:40 Smash Lab 10:30 The Gadget Show 10:55 The Gadget Show 11:20 Man Made Marvels Asia 12:10 Alien Encounters 13:00 Prophets Of Science Fiction 13:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 14:45 Smash Lab 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Bang Goes The Theory 16:30 Sci-Fi Science 17:00 What’s That About?

17:50 Sport Science 18:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 19:30 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger 19:55 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger 20:20 Weird Or What?

21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger

FULL METAL JACKET ON OSN ACTION HD

22:25 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger 22:50 Weird Or What?

23:40 Sport Science

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:30 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:05 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:00 16:15 16:40 17:00 18:25 18:50 19:05 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Stitch Stitch Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Fish Hooks Recess So Random Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mouk Recess So Random Hannah Montana Fish Hooks Jake & Blake Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Recess Jessie A.N.T. Farm Fish Hooks Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Jessie A.N.T. Farm Avalon High Jessie A.N.T. Farm Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie So Random Suite Life On Deck Jonas Los Angeles Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

06:00 06:20 06:45 07:10 14:10 14:35 15:00 16:40 17:05 17:30 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 23:00 KSA

Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Johnny Kapahala Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Zeke & Luther Kid vs Kat Programmes Start At 6:00am

00:55 Style Star 01:25 20 Best & Worst Celebrity Plastic...

03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 50 Most Insane Celebrity Oops 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kendra 09:45 Kendra 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Khloe And Lamar 13:35 Khloe And Lamar 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Ice Loves Coco 17:25 Ice Loves Coco 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Giuliana & Bill 20:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:25 Fashion Police 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05

Ghost Lab A Haunting American Greed American Greed Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery ER

19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner

01:25 Sometimes They Come Back18 03:00 American Ninja 4-18 04:40 Till The End Of The Night-PG 06:10 Finding The Way Home-PG 07:40 It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World-FAM 10:10 Dirty Dozen: Fatal Mission-PG 11:45 Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM 12:00 Sketch Artist II: Hands That See-18 13:35 Ghoulies II 15:05 Electra Glide In Blue-PG 16:55 Delirious-PG 18:30 Eight Men Out-PG 20:30 Till There Was You 22:00 Sketch Artist-18 23:30 The Trip-18

00:00 Warrior Road Trip 01:00 First Ascent 01:30 First Ascent 02:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 02:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 03:00 Madventures 03:30 Madventures 04:00 Graham’s World 04:30 Graham’s World 05:00 Danger Beach 05:30 Danger Beach 06:00 Warrior Road Trip 07:00 First Ascent 07:30 First Ascent 08:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 08:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 09:00 Madventures 09:30 Madventures 10:00 Graham’s World 10:30 Graham’s World 11:00 Danger Beach 11:30 Danger Beach 12:00 Warrior Road Trip 13:00 First Ascent 13:30 First Ascent 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 15:00 Madventures 15:30 Madventures 16:00 Graham’s World 16:30 Graham’s World 17:00 Danger Beach 17:30 Danger Beach 18:00 Going Bush 18:30 Going Bush 19:00 A World Apart 20:00 Food School 20:30 Food School 21:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 21:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 22:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 23:00 Ultimate Traveller

00:00 Warrior Road Trip 01:00 First Ascent 01:30 First Ascent 02:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 02:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 03:00 Madventures 03:30 Madventures 04:00 Graham’s World 04:30 Graham’s World 05:00 Danger Beach 05:30 Danger Beach 06:00 Warrior Road Trip 07:00 First Ascent 07:30 First Ascent 08:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 08:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 09:00 Madventures 09:30 Madventures 10:00 Graham’s World 10:30 Graham’s World 11:00 Danger Beach 11:30 Danger Beach 12:00 Warrior Road Trip 13:00 First Ascent 13:30 First Ascent 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 15:00 Madventures 15:30 Madventures 16:00 Graham’s World 16:30 Graham’s World 17:00 Danger Beach 17:30 Danger Beach 18:00 Going Bush 18:30 Going Bush 19:00 A World Apart 20:00 Food School 20:30 Food School 21:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 21:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 22:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 23:00 Ultimate Traveller

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 Barrie 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 Barrie 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00

Megastructures The China Mystery Revealed The China Mystery Revealed Taboo Megastructures Britain’s Machines with Chris Animal Mega Moves The Border Air Crash Investigation Megastructures The China Mystery Revealed The China Mystery Revealed Taboo Megastructures Britain’s Machines with Chris Animal Mega Moves The Border Air Crash Investigation Ancient Megastructures Warrior Road Trip Taboo

THE EAGLE ON OSN CINEMA 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Megastructures Salvage Code Red Animal Impact Britain’s Underworld Air Crash Investigation

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:10 04:40 05:35 06:00 06:30 07:25 08:20 08:45 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Wildlife Rescue Africa Alaskan Killer Shark Monster Fish Live Like An Animal Monkey Thieves Monkey Thieves A Man Among Bears Hidden Worlds Hidden Worlds Monster Fish Live Like An Animal Monkey Thieves Monkey Thieves Lions Behaving Badly The Real Serengeti The Real Serengeti World’s Deadliest Monster Fish of The Congo Live Like An Animal Monkey Thieves Monkey Thieves Africa’s Deadliest Animal Impact Animal Impact Monster Fish Live Like An Animal Monkey Thieves Monkey Thieves Lions Behaving Badly The Real Serengeti

00:30 The Cry Of The Owl-PG15 02:15 Monsters-PG15 04:00 Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans-18 06:15 Robin Hood (2010)-PG15 08:45 Little Big Soldier-PG15 10:30 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 12:00 Star Trek: First Contact-PG 14:00 Little Big Soldier-PG15 16:00 All Star Superman-PG15 18:00 Star Trek: First Contact-PG 20:00 Full Metal Jacket-18 22:00 The Godfather II-18

01:00 District 9-PG15 03:00 Africa United-PG15 05:00 The Eagle-PG15 07:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-PG15 09:00 District 9-PG15 11:00 The Eagle-PG15 13:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 15:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 17:00 Unanswered Prayers-PG15 19:00 The King’s Speech-PG15 21:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18 23:00 Going The Distance-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 02:00 Hung 02:30 Angry Boys 03:00 Mad Love 03:30 Man Up! 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Til Death 06:00 Dharma And Greg 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 Mad Love 09:00 Til Death 09:30 Hot In Cleveland 10:00 Hot In Cleveland 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Til Death 14:00 Man Up! 14:30 Hot In Cleveland 15:00 Hot In Cleveland 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:30 Man Up! 19:00 Cougar Town 19:30 How I Met Your Mother

20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Family Guy 22:30 The League 23:00 Angry Boys 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Grimm Alphas Supernatural Hawthorne Lights Out Good Morning America Franklin & Bash Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View Alphas Hawthorne Live Good Morning America Franklin & Bash Emmerdale Parenthood One Tree Hill GCB Downton Abbey Lights Out

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Unforgettable Supernatural Grimm Alphas Hawthorne C.S.I. Miami Unforgettable Emmerdale Coronation Street The Protector Supernatural Alphas Hawthorne Emmerdale Hot In Cleveland The Protector Unforgettable Emmerdale Hot In Cleveland The Protector Parenthood One Tree Hill GCB Downton Abbey Love Bites

01:30 Walled In-PG15 03:15 Carlito’s Way-18 05:45 4.3.2.1.-18 07:45 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 09:15 Snake In The Eagle’s ShadowPG15 11:00 From Paris With Love-PG15 13:00 True Justice: Street Wars-PG15 15:00 Snake In The Eagle’s ShadowPG15 17:00 Collateral-PG15 19:00 Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown-18 21:00 Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night-PG15 23:00 Assassination Tango-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 14:00 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 PG15

Our Family Wedding-PG15 Marmaduke-PG Roommates-PG15 Inspector Gadget (1999)Marmaduke-PG A Pyromaniac’s Love StoryMr. Wrong-PG15 Snow Dogs-PG A Pyromaniac’s Love StorySubmarine-PG15 Stan Helsing-18 Tucker Max-R

Stone Of Destiny-PG15 Le Syndrome Du Titanic-PG15 Jack Goes Boating-PG15 Le Crime Est Notre Affaire-

09:00 Tresor-PG15 11:00 Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming-PG15 12:30 Forrest Gump-PG15 15:00 Tresor-PG15 16:30 Cinema Verite-PG15 18:15 The Deep End Of The OceanPG15 20:15 Chico & Rita-18 22:00 Sideways-18

01:15 The Beverly Hillbillies-PG15 03:15 Gasland-PG15 05:15 Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure-PG 07:00 StreetDance-PG15 09:00 Prom-PG15 11:00 Shanghai-PG15 13:00 Mars Needs Moms-PG 15:00 Mean Girls 2-PG15 17:00 Prom-PG15 19:00 Knight And Day-PG15 21:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18 23:00 Scream 4-18

01:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 02:00 International Rugby Union 04:00 Masters Football 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Super Rugby Highlights 09:00 International Rugby Union 11:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 12:00 International Rugby Union 14:00 Trans World Sport 15:00 IRB Junior World Championship 19:00 Trans World Sport 20:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 20:30 PGA European Tour

00:00 Masters Football 03:00 IRB Junior World Championship 07:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 08:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 09:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 09:30 America’s Cup Highlights 10:00 Darts 14:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 15:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 15:30 Live PGA European Tour 19:30 Futbol Mundial 20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 International Rugby Union

01:30 AFL Premiership Highlights 02:30 City Center Races 05:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 06:00 Ping Pong World Championship 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Total Rugby 08:30 NRL Full Time 09:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 09:30 Adventure Sports 12:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Total Rugby 14:30 NRL Full Time 15:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 15:30 ATP Tennis Aegon Championships 17:30 Rugby League International Origin 19:30 NRL Full Time 20:00 International Rugby Union 22:00 ATP Tennis Aegon

01:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:30 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Prizefighter UFC Unleashed UFC 147 Countdown WWE Smackdown Prizefighter WWE Experience WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line Mobil 1 The Grid UAE National Race Day Series V8 Supercars Highlights Mobil 1 The Grid WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 147 Countdown UFC Unleashed WWE NXT

Classifieds THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR SAI ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD CLX THY DHX FDB MSR QTR JZR KAC THY JZR KAC DHX JZR KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY IRA QTR IZG IRA FDB ETD BAB GFA MEA JZR MSR KNE MSC SYR MSR GFA KAC FDB OMA KNE JZR QTR SVA JZR RJA JZR KAC KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD UAE KAC UAL GFA SVA JZR TAR JZR ABY KAC KNE KAC QTR KAC JZR BAB KAC FDB KAC MSR MSC RBG KAC KAC KAC JZR JAI KAC KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK FDB JZR UAE ETD ABY QTR JZR DHX JZR AIC GFA UAL JZR MEA DLH MSR THY KLM JAI

Arrival Flights on Thursday 21/6/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 441 LAHORE 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 792 LUXEMBOURG 768 ISTANBUL 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 1541 CAIRO 154 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 605 ISFAHAN 132 DOHA 4161 MASHAD 617 AHWAZ 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 470 JEDDAH 401 ALEXANDRIA 341 DAMASCUS 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 645 MUSCAT 472 JEDDAH 535 CAIRO 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 241 AMMAN 640 AMMAN 257 BEIRUT 788 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 118 NEW YORK 357 MASHAD 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 1802 CAIRO 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 177 DUBAI 328 TUNIS 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 176 GENEVA 474 JEDDAH 502 BEIRUT 144 DOHA 542 CAIRO 125 BAHRAIN 438 BAHRAIN 786 JEDDAH 63 DUBAI 104 LONDON 624 SOHAG 405 SOHAG 3553 ALEXANDRIA 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 614 BAHRAIN 175 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 774 RIYADH 562 AMMAN 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 59 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 859 DUBAI 307 ABU DHABI 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 513 SHARM EL SHEIKH 372 BAHRAIN 539 CAIRO 981 CHENNAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 406 BEIRUT 636 FRANKFURT 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 411 AMSTERDAM 574 MUMBAI

Time 0:15 0:20 0:50 1:30 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:35 2:50 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:10 4:35 4:55 4:55 5:00 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:30 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:35 9:00 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:30 9:35 10:00 10:55 11:05 11:25 11:35 12:00 12:05 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:15 16:00 16:20 16:35 16:55 17:00 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:45 17:55 18:00 18:05 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:05 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:35 19:40 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:10 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:00 22:10 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:50

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR THY SAI ETH THY UAE FDB DHX ETD CLX MSR QTR QTR RJA JZR JZR GFA THY JZR KAC BAW FDB JZR ABY JZR KAC KAC IRA UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD IRA BAB JZR IZG KAC GFA KAC KAC MEA KAC JZR MSR KNE MSC SYR KAC JZR GFA FDB MSR KAC OMA KAC JZR KNE JZR JZR KAC RJA JZR SVA QTR KAC KAC ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR TAR ABY UAL SVA KNE JZR QTR FDB KAC BAB RBG MSR MSC JZR JAI FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC KAC GFA FDB DHX ALK JZR ABY ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR DHX QTR AXB GFA KAC KAC JZR MEA

Depature Flights on Thursday 21/6/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 773 ISTANBUL 442 LAHORE 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 792 HONG KONG 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 200 DAMASCUS 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 534 CAIRO 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 126 SHARJAH 240 AMMAN 671 DUBAI 787 JEDDAH 606 MASHHAD 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 616 AHWAZ 437 BAHRAIN 356 MASHHAD 4162 MASHHAD 1801 CAIRO 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 623 SOHAG 471 JEDDAH 406 SOHAG 342 DAMASCUS 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 646 MUSCAT 673 DUBAI 538 CAIRO 473 JEDDAH 174 DUBAI 124 BAHRAIN 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 512 SHARM EL SHEIKH 505 JEDDAH 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 613 BAHRAIN 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 328 TUNIS 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 475 JEDDAH 266 BEIRUT 145 DOHA 64 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 439 BAHRAIN 3554 ALEXANDRIA 607 LUXOR 402 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 331 TRIVANDRUM 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 543 CAIRO 153 ISTANBUL 222 BAHRAIN 60 DUBAI 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 1540 CAIRO 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 188 DUBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 373 BAHRAIN 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 415 KUALA LUMPUR 528 ASSIUT 407 BEIRUT

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:35 2:15 2:30 2:45 3:40 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:50 6:55 7:00 7:05 7:10 7:30 8:10 8:25 8:25 9:00 9:05 9:10 9:20 9:35 9:35 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:15 10:25 10:30 10:35 10:35 10:45 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:25 12:25 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 14:40 15:00 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:25 15:30 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:00 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:20 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:45 18:50 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:45 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:35 20:40 20:50 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:35 21:50 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:30 23:40 23:50 23:50 23:59

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for x’an couples in Abbasiya, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, C-A/C building, from July 1st. Contact: 99159874. (C 4050) 20-6-2012 Sharing accommodation available for bachelors, families or executive bachelor in Farwaniya, on the 6th Ring road, opposite Sears.

Contact: 97337658, 50540846. (C 4047) 18-6-2012

MATRIMONIAL Orthodox parents invite proposal for daughter (25/158) MBA (finance), Sr. Analyst, Deloitte, Hyderabad. Email: johnsyk2003@yahoo.co.in (C 4048) 18-6-2012

Prayer timings Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:14 11:50 15:24 18:51 20:23

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station

22434064

Al-Murqab Police Station

22435865

Al-Daiya Police Station

22544200

Al-Fayha’a Police Station

22547133

Al-Qadissiya Police Station

22515277

Al-Nugra Police Station

22616662

Al-Salmiya Police Station

25714406

Al-Dasma Police Station

22530801

34

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 712

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your inner resources and emotions are accented. You can expect a sense of support and good will from those around you. You are the original private eye, able to ferret out information and all kinds of secrets. You are research-oriented and security minded. The boss or the customer may become much more interested in your talents than in your wares today. With a shrewd and penetrating mind, you enjoy anything that involves using your mental efforts. You could be working long and hard with some project this afternoon. If you are a student, you will find your studies quite interesting. An instinctive urge to get serious about taking care of you is emphasized. Exercise gets your attention later today. Relax with music this evening.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is a good balance between work or career and personal living. You could gain some interesting tips from subordinates or young people during this time. Outer circumstances are favorable and a relaxed afternoon can be enjoyed. You are able to get things accomplished and you are also able to demonstrate great sensitivity to the needs of others. Good fortune and plain old luck surround you. An invitation from a friend or co-worker to team up for an exercise program may be something you have been thinking about lately but just had no follow-through thinking on the subject. Use exercise and physical activity as a means to release tension. If you take the opportunity to create a routine, you will find yourself really enjoying the results.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Adopted in order to deceive.

5. A nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank.

10. Standard time in the 8th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 120th meridian west.

13. (Greek mythology) Daughter of Zeus and Demeter.

14. Lower in esteem.

15. Towards the side away from the wind.

16. Little known Kamarupan languages.

17. A vigorous blow.

19. The largest city of Cameroon.

21. Filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock.

23. Made afraid.

25. (biology) Having or resembling wings.

26. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.

28. A Loloish language.

30. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

32. Genus of New Zealand mat-forming herbs or subshrubs.

36. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

39. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

43. An American doctorate usually based on at least 3 years graduate study and a dissertation.

44. First in rank or degree.

48. Parasitic on the digestive epithelium of vertebrates and higher invertebrates.

50. A river in southeastern Australia that flows generally northwest to join the Darling River.

54. A small flat triangular bone in front of the knee that protects the knee joint.

56. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery.

57. The sign language used in the United States.

58. Eliminate from the body.

60. On or toward the lee.

61. French marshal in the Napoleonic Wars (1769-1815).

62. Slender freshwater fishes of Eurasia and Africa resembling catfishes.

63. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

DOWN 1. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae.

2. A disreputable vagrant.

3. The act of arousing.

4. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

5. An imaginary elephant that appears in a series of French books for children.

6. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

7. The network in the reticular formation that serves an alerting or arousal function.

8. A law passed by US Congress to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment.

9. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube.

10. A public square with room for pedestrians.

11. A West African language closely related to Fula.

12. Plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials).

18. A woman's large folded hooped hood.

20. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

22. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

24. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

27. An enclosed space.

29. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

31. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

33. The sound made by a gentle blow.

34. Antibacterial drug (trade name Nydrazid) used to treat tuberculosis.

35. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

37. Tall perennial herb of tropical Asia with dark green leaves.

38. Male hawk especially male peregrine or gyrfalcon.

39. An imaginary elephant that appears in a series of French books for children.

40. Before a time limit expires.

41. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

42. A decree that prohibits something.

45. A liquid preparation used on wet hair to it a tint.

46. Greek mythology.

47. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

49. The villain in William Shakespeare's tragedy who tricked Othello into murdering his wife.

51. A public area set aside as a pedestrian walk.

52. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

53. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

55. Last or greatest in an indefinitely large series.

59. A white trivalent metallic element.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) A lot of energy goes into getting things scheduled and organized. You can begin to make that outward push toward an increase in your income. This is the best time you will have for many years to make progress, push forward and rise to a more promising rank. It will be hard for you to do wrong today as all the cycles are working in your favor. This is also a time when you may marry or take on a new role in the community. You will be in demand and recognition will be forthcoming. This is a time during which things will come to you easily but be wise and cull through the opportunities so as to be fully available in all the areas of your life. Friends and a social life are in order—you will find yourself making plans to entertain.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your career decisions may suffer from a lack of organization and self-discipline today. All of this may simply be a case of spring, or, uh, summer fever. Thoughts of bikini-clad bodies and wiggling your feet in the sand and swimming or beach volleyball fill your brain. Stop, there will be time this coming weekend for a bit of a time out for yourself and if you share your desire for relaxation, you might just manage to get a whole team together for a near-future challenge with perhaps another department or management team from your work. Easing back into thoughts of work and work responsibilities you accomplish quite a lot. Of course, in the back of your brain somewhere there are possibilities of plans developing for that relaxation time—take notes.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) Self-discipline and a sense of self-worth become important issues in your life. You are learning to work within your limitations instead of feeling hemmed in by them. There are emotional beginnings and that feeling of a fresh start—perhaps the establishment of new habit patterns. Make sure these new patterns are good ones—they will set the tone for some time to come!

Accept the counsel of others concerning decisions relating to your career. Careful— there could be a tendency to go too far, expand too fast and overindulge. Counseling will make it easier for you to understand the areas in which adjustments could be made as well as giving you new ideas. Enjoy the progress you are making—you are taking charge and participating in life!

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You do not like making career decisions—you can get downright confused when it comes to making the right choice. You may not appreciate advice today; sometimes it seems to make a problem more complex.

Whatever difficulty seems to be frustrating is temporary and might be best understood if you think about how you would advise a friend under the same circumstances. Think about what you want to accomplish—enjoy or create this summer.

Give yourself clarity in your goals and find some time to write down three things that would help you begin to accomplish those goals. There is a time to organize and discipline your mind. Perhaps this is a time for serious thinking. Studies or school may be in order.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Successful career moves may demand conformity and cost you personal freedom—perhaps toning down your unconventional habits. You may have to conform and go along in order to get the right job. You excel as a social being and should make a career out of your deep-seated interest in other people, partnerships and relationships. Pay attention to the activities in which you have your greatest achievement and consider a profession from the activity. A fascinating mystery is uncovered as you attend to some plans for putting together a reunion type of affair or some sort of celebration. Working as a caterer or a manager for entertainers may be just the type of work you might consider in the future.

Consider interviewing people that have these jobs.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your career, practical vision and skills are of central importance to you today. You are happiest when you are organized. Your reputation and image are a source of concern—you do everything you can to make them solid. You find new ways to serve others and you have brilliant insights into diet, health, ecology and conservation. New or alternate life styles and ways to make a living may be the topics of discussion around the dinner table this evening. You have real insight when it comes to anything connected to research, study and the world of ideas. Your independent mental approach to problem solving and communication finds you coming up with connections that are a bit different. A friend may want you to try something new this next weekend.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

Someone could challenge you on some very sensitive issues today—resulting in very intense discussions. You may touch upon very emotional parts of yourself and find yourself checking and rechecking. Do not go overboard here—letting things work out on their own may be the best method of action. There are some new understandings emotionally today. Emotional beginnings and perhaps the establishment of new habit patterns is a positive moves. Make sure this new habit is a good one because it will set the tone for you for quite some time!

You may find that you can really use your mind to think things through and make clear choices. Career decisions are straightforward and easy to make. A hobby is fun this evening.

You are a very forceful speaker today and will converse with great enthusiasm. Words just flow out—whether you have the attention of an audience, co-workers or authority figures. An emotional impact will bring the subject matter home to your listeners. As a born doer—everyone knows about your incredible drive to accomplish and achieve in life. Be careful not to allow others to take advantage of you. Your ambitions are backed up by the will to get things done but you should be aware of any tendency toward aggressiveness. You try hard and you always push on toward whatever goals you have in mind. This could be a time of challenge from a career standpoint. Your home life will lay the foundation for greater confidence at work.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) It may be easy to overindulge today. Your appetite seems to ignore what may be the best choice for you. You could have difficulty staying on the straight and narrow. You may have to exercise self-discipline to make career progress. You express yourself deliberately and do not waste your words. You have a natural sense of organization and come across as disciplined and careful, perhaps a little too sober at times. You could be your own best mentor. You may come across some unusual ways to help or care for others this afternoon. Being more closely involved with another person may well become your highest priority. Marriage, contracts and partnerships are seen as keys to success and happiness—they have plenty of lessons to teach you.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You are unusually motivated to move into new and unexpected directions today. You could receive unexpected backing and, in general, your efforts are successful. You will reach new heights of originality. New and unexpected emotions may come up as well. There is a burning zeal for humanitarian goals, what is best for the many—the community. With little patience for red tape and superficialities, you could insist on getting right to the heart of any question. You may find that a pay raise or promotion is likely soon.

This is a good time for public relations—you will accomplish much. There is a feeling that anything is possible if you set your sights high enough. You influence others through your optimism and faith.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

112 GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF K KUW WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA ATE T GEN GENERAL OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PARTMENT A

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly to light variable wind, with speed of 08 - 28 km/h

BY Y DA AY:

Hot with light variable wind changing to light to moderate south easterly wind, with speed of 15 - 40 km/h with a chance for raising dust

WA ARNING

No Current Waarnings arnin

ST TAT TION KUW WA AIT CITY

45 °C

34 °C

22518752

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

46 °C

31 °C

Al-Kibla

22459381

NUW WA AISEEB

43 °C

30 °C

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

WAFRA A

46 °C

30 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

SALMI

43 °C

30 °C

Sharq

22465401

ABDAL LY

45 °C

31 °C

Salmiya

25746401

JAL ALIY YA AH

45 °C

31 °C

Jabriya

25316254

FAILAKA A

43 °C

31 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

AHMADI POR RT

40 °C

31 °C

Bayan

25388462

UMM AL-MARADEM

37 °C

31 °C

Mishref

25381200

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

44 °C

30 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

New Jahra

24575755

SFC. CHART

20/06/2012 1200 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA AT TE

WEA ATHER T

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

Thursday

21/06

hot + raising dust

46 °C

31 °C

VRB-SE

15 - 40 km/h

Friday

22/06

humid over coasts + blowing dust

45 °C

30 °C

VRB-SE

15 - 40 km/h

Saturday

23/06

dusty

48 °C

32 °C

NW

22 - 42 km/h

Sunday

24/06

dusty

48 °C

33 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Fajr

03:13

MAX. Temp.

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Sunrise

04:48

MIN. Temp.

Firdous

24892674

Zuhr

11:50

MAX. RH

11 %

Asr

15:23

MIN. RH

04 %

Al-Omariya

24719048

Sunset

18:50

MAX. Wind

N.Kheitan

24710044

Isha

20:23

TOT TA AL L RA AINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

Fintas

3900322

PRA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT 47 °C 34 °C

NW 57 km/h .12 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

3729596/3729581

Neurologists Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

MIN. N. EXP P.

24770319

26 - 2630 Ext.: 2627

22418714

Fax: 24348714

MAX. REC.

Jahra

PHONE

Ahmadi

website: www.moi.gov.kw

Sabah Hospital

ADDRESS

Al-Madena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Costner involved in lawsuit evin Costner is embroiled in another legal battle. Earlier this month, he won a lawsuit against Stephen Baldwin over the right to British Petroleum’s money versus breached Bonds, this time its Pacific vistas versus peeping paparazzi. Charles “Rick” Grimm, the actor’s neighbor at his beachfront Santa Barbara home, filed a suit for up to $500,000 Monday, alleging Costner breached a 55-year-old contract by planting hedges and trees taller than six feet, blocking the plaintiff’s view of the Pacific Ocean, according to court documents obtained by TheWrap. Costner allegedly broke a contract put into place when the property was initially subdivided back in 1957. That contract stipulated a six-foot limit to hedges. According to the documents, Costner planted 10-foot conifers to block the view of star-struck vacationers renting Grimm’s house.

Grimm, who claimed the obstruction devalues his house by half its original worth, wants the court to order Costner to prune the hedges back to the level of the six-foot, ivy-covered fence that divides their properties and to compensate him with $150,000. If not, he wants to be paid $500,000 in damages.

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Baldwin and photographer clash in New York photographer with New York tabloid newspaper Daily News accused actor Alec Baldwin of attacking him on Tuesday, but the actor’s representative told a different story. Photographer Marc Santos said Baldwin, 54, approached and punched him in the face for taking photographs of him and his fiancee, Hilaria Thomas, 28, outside New York City’s Marriage License Bureau, according to a story and photos on the newspaper’s website that appeared to show a scuffle between the two men.

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Jolie and Pitt host party ngelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have invited Jamie Oliver and George Clooney to a party at their Surrey home. The Hollywood couple - who are engaged and have six children together - have asked the chef as well as his wife Jools Oliver and the actor and current girlfriend Stacy Keibler to join them for the bash. The event is their annual Midsummer Night party which will be held at their UK home this weekend while Angelina film Disney movie Maleficent. A source told The Sun newspaper: “Brad and Angie hold a Midsummer party every year and always base the theme around a specific country because it’s a great learning opportunity for the kids.“ They’ve done Australia, Russia and Germany in the past but as they’re living in London they’ve really got into the spirit of things with the Jubilee and the Queen’s birthday.” They added: “It’ll be like a British fete, with all the traditional games and cream teas in the garden in the afternoon.”

Brad and Angelina are also hosting their own Olympic opening ceremony party. The get together will take place on July 25, two days before the official one, and a starstudded guest list has been linked to the event at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Princes William and Harry have been invited to the charity do - held in honor of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. It is also set to feature David and Victoria Beckham, Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

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Williams and Segel hang-out ichelle Williams and Jason Segel enjoyed a “lovey-dovey” date. The ‘My Week with Marilyn’ actress snuggled up with the ‘Five Year Engagement’ star as the couple dressed up smartly to enjoy a romantic evening watching James Corden’s ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ Broadway show at the Music Box Theatre on West 45th Street, New York. An audience member told the New York Post newspaper: “They look very lovey-dovey. She looks so pretty in white, and he’s in a suit.” The couple have been dating for three months and it’s not the first time they have been spotted getting cosy in public. The blonde beauty was seen leaning in and kissing Jason on the cheek and rubbing his back at the afterparty of the premiere of his latest movie ‘The Five Year Engagement’ in April. The 32-year-old actor

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was also spotted holding the 31-year-old star’s hand and whispering in her ear at the New York event. Jason has recently been bonding with Michelle’s daughter Matilda her child from her relationship with late actor Heath Ledger, who died of an accidental drug overdose in January 2008 - and looked to be enjoying his responsibility as he took the six year old out to play with her scooter. Jason was also recently spotted holding his cell phone, which had photobooth style images of Michelle taped to the back decorated with hearts and containing the words, “I love you”. Michelle and Jason have been friends for years after meeting through the actress’ friend and the actor’s ‘Freaks and Geeks’ co-star Busy Philipps.

Bieber attacks paparazzi ustin Bieber’s case about an alleged scuffle with a photographer was turned over to prosecutors yesterday. Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing an altercation between pop star and a paparazzi person at a Calabasas, California shopping mall. They will determine whether criminal charges should be filed against the ‘Boyfriend’ singer, a spokeswoman has confirmed. Detectives have been investigating claims by the man who is believed to be the victim that Justin struck, after he took photographs of him and girlfriend Selena Gomez at the Commons at Calabasas Shopping Center in last month. The photographer complained of pain and was taken by the Los Angeles County Fire Department to a hospital, where he was treated and

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released, officials said. The LA County district attorney’s office received the case Tuesday, and it’s unclear how long it will take to make a decision about charges. The teenager has not commented on the incident which could see him charged with misdemeanor battery for the May 27 incident. At the time of the physical altercation, the photographer called the police, but Justin and Selena were gone by the time they arrived.

Apparently the LA County Sheriff’s deputies tried to reach Justin to discuss the incident, but never spoke to him. The young star was out of America for several weeks on a promotional tour.

Beckhams offer Ramsay support ordon Ramsay will always be grateful to David and Victoria Beckham for helping him and wife Tana through their recent problems. The fiery TV chef and his spouse have endured a tough 18 months which has seen them fall out with Tana’s father, Gordon’s former business partner Chris Hutcheson, which resulted in a lengthy legal battle - but he says they are now stronger than ever, thanks to close friends David and Victoria. Gordon - who has restaurants in his native UK and Los Angeles - said: “There was no doubt it was a personal blow for me and I felt let down by many people. But you regroup and come back. Tana and I have never been so close before. “David and Victoria were just extraordinary in terms of the help and support during this time. “They really were great. People thought we were going to escape the UK and go and live in LA permanently. But I’m a fighter and there was no chance of me giving up and going there.” Gordon says it was especially hard on Tana, as her mother had told her she didn’t want anything to do with her until she left Gordon. The 45-year-old star - who has four children with Tana - told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Boys, like me and Chris, are always going to fight, but to have your mum ignore you, well that was hard. “Tana took this negativity on the chin and just poured it into her work with her new salon opening up.”

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Amber to co-star Hemsworth mber Heard is in talks to star opposite Liam Hemsworth in “Paranoia,” the film adaptation of Joseph Finder’s novel, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. Robert Luketic is directing IM Global’s thriller from a script by Jason Dean Hall. Barry Levy first took a crack at adapting Finder’s book. Heard will play the main love interest for Hemsworth, a blue-collar worker who becomes a corporate spy to better his employment prospects. Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford and Lucas Till have already been cast. Emjag Productions’ Alexandra Milchan is producing with Scott Lambert of Film 360 and Deepak Nayar. Heard, who last appeared on the big screen in “The Rum Diary” and “Drive Angry,” is currently shooting Robert Rodriguez’ “Machete Kills.” Production for “Paranoia” is set to start in July. —Agencies

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Wham! Re-unites eorge Michael is set to reunite Wham! For a “one-off pop extravaganza”. The ‘Careless Whisper’ singer who releases his new single ‘White Light’ on June 29 - is to get back together with Andrew Ridgeley for a special show to mark 30 years since the duo initially got together. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “George and Andrew have often said their ‘Club Tropicana’ days are well behind them. “But seeing as their anniversary coincides with George releasing new material, it’s one of those ‘now or never’ moments. “They probably won’t do a long tour or release new material like Take That but they do want to commemorate the event with a big gig ... And an even bigger party afterwards! “Things are still in the early stages but everybody is getting really excited about it.” Wham!’s first

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release was ‘Wham! Rap (Enjoy What you Do)’ in 1982, which was one of a string of hits the group which included ‘Young Guns (Go for It!)’, ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and ‘Last Christmas’. The pair went their separate ways in 1986, with Andrew, 49, settling into a quiet life and shunning publicity, while George, 48, went on to become one of the biggest selling British solo artists of the 80s and 90s. He said yesterday: “On June 29 it will be 30 years to the day that ‘Wham! Rap’, our first single, entered the charts. “To celebrate, I’m releasing my new song. I dreamed of a career as a singer/songwriter from an early age but never could I have known I’d still be here 30 years later, with much more music to give.”

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THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

LIFESTYLE F a s h i o n

Elder chic comes of age or all those who are tired of seeing style and fashion presented solely as a young woman’s game, behold “Advanced Style.” Out in May from PowerHouse Books, this collection of street-fashion photographs of the over-60 set is a joy. Although few of the subjects photographed on the streets of New York City reveal precisely how old they are, they offer lessons in confidence and style that women of all ages will appreciate, which is exactly why Ari Seth Cohen started Advanced Style, the blog that inspired the book.

Among the stylish figures in the book is the elegant and refined Rose, age 100, pictured in a paisley caftan, Hermes belt and oversized beads. Her credo? “If everyone is wearing it, then it’s not for me.” Alice, posing in a men’s tweed jacket, jodhpurs, boots, fingerless gloves and a silk scarf, says, “Fie on women in sneakers and sweats.” Then there’s Debra, in electric-blue sunglasses and brocade pants, who approaches getting dressed like an art project and says, “Tomorrow is another day and another look.”

Cohen combs the city looking for elder style on the street. “It’s fun to hang out outside the Carlysle Hotel,” he says, which is where he snapped a photo of actress Elaine Stritch wearing one of her signature menswearinspired looks. “But I don’t spend too much time on the Upper East Side because a lot of the women there have had a lot of plastic surgery.”

“Advanced Style” is about embracing one’s age, not fighting it, he says. “In society, Out in May from PowerHouse women are told to Books, this collection of back down from street-fashion photographs fashion as they get of the over-60 set is a joy. older, and they —MCT become invisible. I got an email from one woman who said her grandkids were embarrassed by the way she dresses. ... She showed them my blog, and they changed their minds.”

He has learned that there really is no such thing as ageappropriate dressing. The book features its fair share of traditional houndstooth suits, silk scarves and sensible shoes, but it also has women in artsy hats and colorful turbans.

“Some women think fashion should be more proper, others don’t care at all. If someone is comfortable and confident, that’s what matters,” Cohen says. “I like to have a mix of eccentric and elegant in the blog and book, because I’m attracted to both extremes.”

Cohen grew up in San Diego, where he spent many afternoons with his grandmothers, Bluma and Helen, watching old movies, trying on clothes and going through scrapbooks of photos showing people dressed to the nines.

After he finished school, he set his sights on New York City with an eye toward meeting Mimi Weddell, the 93year-old model, actress and hat enthusiast whom he had admired from afar after seeing the 2008 documentary film about her life, “Hats Off.” He wrangled an invitation to tea. “She wouldn’t give me cookies, but she offered me brandy,” he remembers of his first meeting with the late Weddell, who was a health enthusiast. “Everything she told me about life and style inspired me.”

Cohen began to notice other stylish older women on the streets of New York, “a wonderful city for older people to live in,” he says. And he asked to take their photographs.

Surprisingly, most were not offended. “I have never been shy to go up to people, but I did have to learn my approach. I tell them I’m photographing women 60 and above, and since most of them are 80 and above, they are flattered,” he says.

He started the blog as a response to what he saw as a lack of representation of older people in the media.

“Everything I found in my research poked fun,” he says, “which was different from what my eyes were seeing on the street.”

The blog has been a boon for Cohen, leading to freelance work for AARP magazine and exhibitions of his photographs at stores and galleries in Europe. He’s currently working on an “Advanced Style” film, which he hopes to complete this summer, and another book, this one more focused on health and lifestyle for the over-60 set. So at the tender age of 30, how does Cohen feel about his advancing years? “We all are going to get older. It’s not about me looking forward to it, it’s about me being OK with it,” he says. “I’ve learned how to live my life more fully from the women I have met who are 100 and still doing Pilates. I have a new sense of freedom and have learned to let things go and just accept myself.” —MCT

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French fashion designer Julien Fournie poses with a model wearing a creation for the 2012 Autumn-Winter Haute Couture collections in Paris on June 19, 2012 on the eve of the Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Haute Couture Collection which will run from July 1 to July 5, 2012. —AFP

When it comes to intern fashion, casual isn’t cool ummer internships often mean long hours and tedious assignments for little or no pay. But just because you’re low on the totem pole doesn’t mean it’s OK to assume nobody cares how you look. As many work environments-and young people’s tastes _ get more casual, answering the question of what to wear for that summer job can be a tricky task. “I always tell my assistants, ‘Dress for the job you want, not the job you have,’” says Regina Gardiner, senior accessories editor for the magazine People StyleWatch. “You think people aren’t looking at you, but when entry level jobs open up, you never know” if you might be considered.

Dress in an inappropriate way, however, and your name could be left off the potential hire lists. We asked style experts, workplace managers and former interns about what tips they can offer-and in some cases, what they learned the hard way. * Before your first day, find out as much as you can

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about the company’s style culture. If you go for an interview, take mental notes about how people dress. If you’re not sure, err on the side of going too formal on the first day.

“If it’s a super corporate environment where every single guy wears a suit, I would do the same,” says Marie Claire accessories director Kyle Anderson. “If everyone wears T-shirts, I would go that route as well, but always look extremely groomed and clean. I’d say stand clear of any kind of ‘distressed’ clothing even if you are interning in fashion.”

Too much skin. That skirt is as short as you want to go, and for some workplaces, it’s too short. Open toe shoes may be unacceptable. And is that a bra strap?

* Consider investing in a few basics. Regina Gardiner of People StyleWatch recommends four basic wardrobe staples for women that can be dressed up or down for practically any workplace and found at practically any price point: A shift or A-line dress with plenty of coverage in a neutral color, a cardigan or blazer, a great pair of pumps, and a handbag roomy enough to carry a change of shoes or an umbrella. Sheon Wilson, the Durham, NC-based stylist behind “Refresh Your Style,” gives this list for men: A sports coat in a lighter neutral, a suit in charcoal or navy, a lace-up shoe or Oxford, and a button-up or dress shirt in white or cream. If you don’t go too trendy with these staples, you’ll get plenty of use out of them even when the summer is over. * Sweat the small stuff. If you think nobody notices your bra straps, mismatched socks or that nasty old belt, think again. “We had an intern that showed up wearing a black suit, black shirt, black tie, black shoes, then white socks,” says Jay Brown, assistant producer at a Charlotte radio station. “He didn’t last long.”-If someone in a position of authority pulls you aside to talk fashion, LISTEN. Amanda Dittloff, 32, of Charlotte, NC, can’t believe how clueless she was when her first boss tried to talk to her about appropriate work outfits, even going as far as offering to take her shopping. Dittloff saw nothing wrong with her Colorado hippie wardrobe of torn khakis, tank tops and feather earrings when she took that job as a receptionist at a construction

Good idea adding a blazer; it adds tailoring and covers you up. But that skirt is girlish and girlish doesn’t always say ‘competent, professional employee.’ —MCT photos

company in Charlotte 10 years ago, even though co-workers politely tried to steer her toward more professional outfits. “Looking back I see how they very nicely tried to educate me on it, and it escalated more and more because I just wasn’t getting it,” she says. * The company cookout is not a frat party. Pay attention to what you wear to company social events outside the office. Mike Condrey, a managing partner at Northwestern Mutual’s Raleigh, NC, office, says his office’s 60 summer interns have no trouble dressing professionally in the office.

“The greatest faux pas is that people would literally show up with a suit that still had the tags on the sleeves,” he says.

But it’s at the company’s annual garden party or cookout that interns in years past have let their fashion guards down a little too much. “They’re thinking, ‘Hey, this is a fraternity party,’” when golf shirts, nice shorts or appropriate summer dresses are more in order. * Consider those tattoos, piercings and hair colors. In extremely creative workplaces, displaying tattoos, Technicolor hair or multiple piercings might be fine.

“But 80 to 90 percent of the time, it’s not looked upon to have any of that,” says Gardiner of People StyleWatch. Think about removing piercings and covering tattoos that could be distracting. And this might not be the time to try out the latest pink hair color. In the end, you want supervisors to focus on your work, not be distracted by your appearance. —MCT

Yes. The skirt’s a little longer, but the trendy pleats say modern and young. Black always adds polish yet that pop of color adds some personality. But we’re still not sure about that top.

Hmm. Well you definitely could wear this in some offices. It’s clean, professional.

Lange-Paris releases cosmetics in Kuwait fter all success it achieved in the worldwide markets and the Gulf market in particular, Dr. Hamoud Al-Azmi company managed to launch the products of the French company (Lange-Paris) which is specialized at manufacturing the cosmetics related to skin care in the Kuwaiti market. Such cosmetic shall be appropriate to all types of skin.

During the press conference that held yesterday by the company at Crown Plaza Hotel, the president of the company Eric Fustier has pointed out that the company launched in the Kuwaiti market products exceed 65 products for facial care and skin.

The president of the company Eric Fustier said that the Parisian Company has started its activity in 2006, in the Parisian market. This market is located in the cosmetics valley which is near the capital of France “Paris”, this is in addition to several global brands.

Concerning the medical cosmetics,

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The president of the company Eric Fustier

he said: “the cosmetics are divided into 12 beauty lines so as to fit the largest segment of society, especially as the company has allocated for each type of skin, some cosmetics that can maintain the freshness of the skin, and give it the brilliant young people skin”.

Foster has assured that the medical cosmetics are made from non-chemical materials, but they have used the seaweed extracts and natural herbs as well as some natural ingredients which reflect the freshness of the skin and give it lasting shine”.

The company products include the cosmetics that shall treat the dark circles appearing around the eyes, freckles and wrinkles, in addition to the other symptoms of fatigue, aging and acne conditions which appear on the face. The company uses the best natural products in preparing its cosmetics, as it chooses the best materials that are available in the global market in terms of quality.

Fustier has pointed that the company pay its attention today to the Kuwaiti market, after the successes it achieved in the neighboring Gulf markets, due to the acclaim its products has received by the Saudi Market and Abu Dhabi, rather than the existence of the company in the Iranian Market.”

The president of the company said: “Our sales results we achieved in the Saudi market are very encouraging, especially as we achieve double growth every year, after launching our products there”.

With regard to the Iranian market, he indicated that the company is classified as the third largest company for medical cosmetics in the Iranian market, and that it is achieving results in the markets where its products are available.

Fustier revealed that in the next period, the company shall seek to expand in both of Dubai, Bahrain and all GCC countries.

From his side, the Sales Manager (Dr.Majid Ali) in Dr. Hamoud Al-Azmi company said: “Lange Company is launching today its products in the Kuwaiti market after we found that it there is a necessity for these Medical Cosmetics, which by its turn, can serve a large segment of society, and match all kinds of skin, especially for ladies who are looking always for excellence in appearance, and eternal youth” He added: “Lange cosmetics shall be available starting from today, in all pharmacies and medical centers that are specialized in skin care”.

The president Fustier mentioned that Lange cosmetics are very affordable if we tried to compare that to the quality and the materials we used in manufacturing these products.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

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US actress and singer Jennifer Lopez performs during her concert as part of the “Dance Again” World Tour on June 19, 2012 in Santiago, Chile. — AFP

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nce known as a rebel rapper with a penchant for electric guitars and dragon tattoos, Zayar Thaw now aims to be an agent of change as a parliamentarian in the stronghold of the Myanmar army that threw him in jail. The 31-year-old is a rising star in Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, which made a dramatic comeback in April elections after two decades in the political wilderness, becoming the main opposition force in parliament. The by-elections came amid sweeping changes in the country formerly known as Burma after decades of outright military rule ended last year.

This file picture taken on April 7, 2012 shows member of parliament Zayar Thaw, a recently-elected National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate in the April 1 by-election in a Naypyidaw constituency, pictured in front of an NLD flag inYangon. — AFP Myanmar’s quasi-civilian government has surprised even its critics with a string of reforms such as releasing hundreds of political prisoners and welcoming the opposition back into mainstream politics. Former political prisoner Zayar Thaw, perhaps Myanmar’s most unlikely member of parliament, was among four NLD candidates elected in the capital Naypyidaw-a victory seen as humiliating for the military-backed regime. “You’re very young, you’re a hip-hop artist and you’re an exprisoner. How can you be an MP?” he told AFP in an interview in his Yangon apartment. “That’s something I hear quite a lot.”

But it is precisely these qualities that may have propelled the dissident rapper into the corridors of power-and onto the global stage. He is part of a small entourage accompanying Suu Kyi on a his-

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teve Carell and Keira Knightley, together as a couple who’ve fallen suddenly and madly in love? Surely the apocalypse is nigh. It’s coming in three weeks, to be exact, in “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,” the feature directing debut from screenwriter Lorene Scafaria (“Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist”). An asteroid 70 miles wide is hurtling toward Earth, ensuring destruction and doom for the entire planet. Scafaria explores how people behave when the rules of polite society are stripped away, a premise that isn’t exactly novel - the world ended just last year, much more artfully, in Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” - but one that’s brimming with potential for absurdist, satirical comedy.

Within that setting, Carell and Knightley get thrown together.

The pairing doesn’t make a whole lot of sense on paper - in the real world or on the big screen - but for the most part they have

This film image released by Focus Features shows, from left, Keira Knightley as Penny, Gillian Jacobs as Katie, T.J. Miller as Darcy the Chipper Host, and Steve Carell as Dodge in a scene from “Seeking A Friend for the End of the World.”— AP

toric tour of Europe, the first since she returned to her homeland in 1988 to care for her sick mother and went on to play a leading role in the democratic movement. The trip is taking her to five European nations including Norway, where she on Saturday formally accepted the Nobel Prize that thrust her into the international limelight two decades ago. Zayar Thaw, one of the pioneers of Burmese rap, co-founded one of the country’s first hip-hop bands called ACID, which became a household sensation a decade ago thanks to its lyrics-often laced with anti-regime sentiment.

The band sometimes circumvented the country’s notorious censors-who vet every piece of commercial music for subversive content-by circulating bootlegged copies of songs recorded in underground studios or performing in private stage shows.

When it comes to looks, Zayar Thaw is not your average rapper. He appears bookish and bespectacled, usually in a crisp shirt and traditional wraparound longyi. He does, however, sport dragon tattoos all over his arms and legs. But his favourite tattoo is embossed on his back: a full-sized map of Myanmar with a large microphone in the middle, which he says symbolises the country’s quest for greater democratic freedoms.

The walls of his apartment in downtown Yangon, the former capital, are festooned not with posters of bald punk artists, but life-size images of Suu Kyi-his “real life hero”. He says it is she who helped him survive three years in prison-a large part in dank isolation where “you could never tell whether it was night or day”.

If the lady can survive why can’t I? After a 2007 uprising led by Buddhist monks, a rebellion brutally crushed by the military, Zayar Thaw organised “Generation Wave”-an underground network comprising dozens of artists who used hip-hop, poetry and street graffiti to express their disaffection with the then military regime.

One anti-regime song, which repeatedly denounced “murderers”, was uploaded by the group on YouTube with the following lyrics: “We will never change, never give up, never surrender / We will continue to fight until they disappear / We will come out in full force in every tomorrow / Let’s dare to say the truth.”

He was arrested along with his comrades and sentenced to six years in prison in 2008 but was released in May last year in an amnesty. “When I was in prison, I would think to myself, ‘If the lady can survive so many years under house arrestaway from her sons, her husband-why can’t I?’” he

said, referring to Suu Kyi. “When I got out and finally met her she said, ‘Don’t let your sacrifices go in vain. The party, the country needs young people like you’.”

And that’s when the quest began for a parliamentary seat vacated by Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo, regarded as a key figure in the government’s hardline faction. But it was no mean feat to win in his stronghold of Naypyidaw-an army-dominated enclave north of Yangon rumored to have been built on the advice of an astrologer after former junta chief General Than Shwe feared a popular uprising or foreign invasion of the former capital. Naypyidaw-described by one observer as a cross between “Xanadu and Legoland”-has been Myanmar’s administrative capital since 2005, boasting Stalinist-style buildings, imposing sculptures of bygone kings, wide boulevards and colorcoded apartment blocks.

But surrounding the island of opulence is a sea of poverty. The 70-plus farming villages that make up Zayar Thaw’s constituency are plagued by hundreds of cases of alleged land grabs by regimebacked companies, which he says has exacerbated mass unemployment. These people, he said, “view me not as a rapper but as their only hope”.

His immediate focus is to wade through the country’s bureaucratic system to help villagers get their properties back. But he concedes his party neither has the arithmetic strength in the military-dominated parliament nor the governance experience to effect real change yet.

For that to happen, it will have to repeat its byelection triumph at the next general election in 2015 — and push the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party out of power. Since winning his seat he says development projects such as roads and rural electrification in some areas of his constituency have been discontinued by the government, fuelling concerns among voters that they are being punished for favouring the NLD. “The party is looked upon as a messiah that will transform Myanmar,” he said. “But it’s hard to tell people that the struggle is just beginning-change will be slow and it won’t happen overnight.” — AFP

enough unexpected, opposites-attract likability and find themselves in enough strangely amusing situations to make the movie work. The mawkish third act, however, nearly destroys all that appeal. Carell’s character, Dodge, is very much in the vein of the detached and depressed but wryly observant figures he’s played before: He’s an insurance agent whose wife takes when news of the asteroid breaks. Knightley is his downstairs neighbor in the apartment building, Penny, a free-spirited, pot-smoking Brit with a penchant for classic vinyl records. She is your quintessential Manic Pixie Dream Girl.

Naturally, these two people need to go on a road trip. All Dodge wants to do is track down his high school sweetheart, The One That Got Away, in hopes of rekindling the romance in his final days. (Clearly, she’s meant to represent everything he wanted out of life and never achieved.) Penny, meanwhile, is fresh off a bad break-up (from a ridiculously self-centered musician played by Adam Brody) and all she wants to do is get home to England to ride it out with her family. Dodge knows a guy with a plane who can help her.

Their journey (Scafaria also wrote the script) is buoyed by individual moments, and by some of the inspired casting that’s revealed at each stop along the way. Among the best scenes takes place at the beginning: an end-of-the-world party Dodge’s friend Warren (Rob Corddry) and his wife (Connie Britton) throw, where civilized, middle-aged people cavort in wild ways because ... why not? Nothing matters anymore. Similarly, Dodge and Penny find themselves at a TGI Friday’s-style restaurant called Friendsy’s where everyone has clearly been doing Ecstasy and the possibility of indulgence and danger lurks in every fake Tiffany-lamped corner.— AP

scar-nominated actress Susan Tyrrell, known for roles in offbeat films including John Waters’ “Cry-Baby,” has died. She was 67. Tyrrell died Saturday in her sleep at home in Austin, her niece told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Tyrrell, who received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role as barfly Oma in John Huston’s 1972 boxing movie “Fat City,” appeared in more than 75 movies and television shows. “She had a larger than life personality,” said David Zellner, who directed Tyrell in the movie “Kid-Thing,” which is currently making the rounds at film festivals.

“She had more adventures and experiences in her life than most anyone I know.”

The movie is about a 10-year-old delinquent girl who lives in the Texas countryside and happens across a mysterious woman, played by Tyrrell, in a well, said Zellner. Her niece, Amy Sweet, said her aunt moved to Austin to live near her. She said Tyrrell’s legs were amputated below the knee 12 years ago as a result of complications from a blood clotting disorder. Sweet said her aunt’s passions ranged from rap music to animals, and that she even had a bug collection.

“On the night she died, she’d found a dragonfly she was excited about. Everything was a huge deal,” Sweet said. A Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office official said a cause of death was pending. Tyrrell was born Susan Creamer on March 18, 1945, in San Francisco, though she eventually changed her last name to Tyrrell, her mother’s maiden name, Sweet said. Tyrrell grew up in Connecticut and then got her start in acting on the stages of New York City before moving to Los Angeles, Sweet said. Sweet said she plans to celebrate her aunt’s life with a showing of “Fat City” next week at an Austin movie theater, followed by a gathering there to recognize her aunt’s “unbridled irreverence and love for life.” The movie showing and memorial will be open to the public, with a cost of $5 for those who aren’t friends or family. “She loved to party,” Sweet said. She said her aunt would often write in a journal, and an entry from January featured the line: “I demand my death be joyful and I never return again.”—AP

In this May 13, 2010 photo, actress Susan Tyrrell, poses for a photograph with her dog Zuzu in Austin, Texas. — AP

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pianist who launched her career by posting videos of herself on YouTube translated her online success into reality with a solo performance at one of the world’s most famous music venues on Tuesday. Ukrainianborn Valentina Lisitsa dazzled a crowd of thousands at London’s Royal Albert Hall, her fingers flying through a two-and-a-half-hour virtuoso performance. The blonde 42-year-old, known as the Justin Bieber of the classical music world because of her route to fame, had advertised the concert on her YouTube page and website, allowing fans from around the world to pick her program.

Ukraine-born classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa performs live on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London on June 19, 2012. — AFP The final selection included two pieces that are among her most-viewed hits on YouTube, Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Rachmaninov’s etude, popularly known as “Little Red Riding Hood”. The experience had been surreal, she told AFP after the concert, adding “I’m

relaxed... I’m coping.” While holding the audience spellbound with her playing, she also won over the largely British crowd of some 2,500 by referring to the evening as a special night not because of her performance, but it coincided with England meeting co-hosts Ukraine at the Euro 2012 football tournament.

Lisitsa, who began playing the piano at the age of three in Kiev, began promoting herself on the video-sharing website five years ago when she posted a video of herself playing the Rachmaninov etude. What happened next took the musician completely by surprise. Five years later, her 180-odd videos have garnered nearly 50 million hits. She has been signed by the Decca Classics label owned by Universal, and her concert Tuesday was broadcast live over YouTube in a historic first for classical music. “It’s word of mouth,” she said of her grassroots success. “I learned how to make videos. You have to be honest, there’s no fake stuff.”

Admitting she had been completely “illiterate” about social media prior to 2007, she put much of her popularity down to engagement with her fans. “I write a short description about most pieces and answer comments,” she told AFP. “It starts a conversation.” It also made her accessible to her fans in a way many classical musicians are not-a concept illustrated by her interaction with two young, star-struck fans backstage after the concert. —AFP

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

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ong-time Hollywood couple Johnny Depp and French singer/actress Vanessa Paradis have agreed to separate “amicably,” a publicist for the US star said Tuesday. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star and Gallic star have been together for 14 years, but rumors of trouble have circulated for more than a year, leading to Paradis denying a split in January. Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis have amicably separated. Please respect their privacy and, more importantly, the privacy of their children,” Depp’s publicist told TV show Entertainment Tonight, and confirmed to AFP. The couple, who divide their time between France and the United States, have two children aged 10 and 13 but have never married.

In January, Paradis flatly denied a split, telling French Canal+ television station: “The rumor is false, of course it is false. It’s a rumor that could really damage my family,” she added. One day earlier she had joked about the rumors, saying: “I separate in the winter, in the summer I get married. “As soon as I eat three peas, I’m pregnant... As soon as I visit a town, I’m buying a house..... I’ve been getting married every year for 15 years!” the French star told Europe 1 radio. Depp has had a number of celebrity partners over the years, and has been engaged to four: Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey, Winona Ryder and Kate Moss, according to the IMDb movie industry website.

The 49-year-old-whose latest film is Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows,” and who is lined up for a fifth “Pirates of the Caribbean” outing-was married to Lori Anne Allison in 1983 but divorced in 1985. He and Paradis met in Paris and began dating in 1998, and she gave birth to Lily-Rose Melody in 1999 and Christopher-known as Jack-in 2002. No details were released about arrangements for or custody of the children. Paradis, 39, is more famous in France than abroad. She began as a model and singer before branching into movies. Her films include 1999’s “La Fille sur le Pont” (“Girl on the Bridge”) and, more recently, last year’s “Cafe de Flore.”

She and Depp divided their time between a home in the Hollywood Hills and a farm in the south of France, while they have also owned apartments in Paris, Manhattan and in the Bahamas, according to IMDb. By Hollywood standards they have been remarkably discreet, making headlines for their respective career successes rather than any romantic strains or scandals. But for more than a year rumors have been circulating about the state of their once idyllic relationship, fueled by increasingly infrequent public appearances together. In February 2011 Depp came to cheer on his partner when she staged a concert in Los Angeles. The actor was seated not far from French rocker Johnny Hallyday.

A few months earlier, Depp told AFP in an interview that he and Paradis played together a lot, and

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that she was “very talented.” But months later Depp appeared on his own on red carpets at almost all the awards season events in early 2011, while in April this year Paradis came alone to a concert by Hallyday in Los Angeles. The pair have never acted in the same film, but were known to sing together at friends’ events. Paradis also dedicated her 2000 “Bliss” (2000) to her partner. While Paradis’ career has slowed somewhat, Depp’s has skyrocketed during the 14 years they have been together, making him one of Hollywood’s biggest stars along with actors like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. His versatility has seen him star in Hollywood blockbusters including the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise but also smaller independent movies such as last year’s “Rum Diary,” or quirky works with Tim Burton. — AFP

File photo shows Johnny Depp, nominated for an Oscar for best actor in a leading role for his work in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” arriving with his girlfriend Vanessa Paradis for the 80th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. — AP

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In a photo taken on May 26, 2012, singer Helen Feng of the band Nova Heart performs at the 2Kolegas live music venue in Beijing.

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fter decades struggling with official censorship, China’s contemporary music scene is finally taking off, fuelled by live shows, the Internet and a government eager to cash in on a growing market. Chinese indie bands came late to the music scene, largely missing out on the lucrative days of vinyl records, cassettes and compact discs, and also suffered enormously from state broadcasters’ preference for pop. But from rock to rap and hip-hop to grunge, the independent music scene has blossomed in recent years as the Internet and an explosion in live venues have given an outlet to acts long shunned by state-run television and radio.

“Since I have been here, everything has changed,” said Helen Feng, the lead singer of the electronica band Nova Heart who returned to her native Beijing in 2003 and has just finished a European tour. “The changes in the music scene have been massive. Everything has gotten better, personal liberties have gone up, the numbers of bands have gone up, the numbers of venues have gone up, financial support has gone up, fans have gone up.” Born in Beijing to Chinese parents, Feng, 34, spent most of her childhood in the United States where she was raised on the likes of Natalie Cole and George Gershwin, eventually graduating from University of Southern California, having minored in music.

Since returning to China, the blonde diva has been at the centre of the Beijing music scene, fronting three different successful bands, while working jobs with state radio and television and American music video giant MTV. Feng, whose bands have toured throughout China, playing numerous outdoor music festivals, says there is no longer much government antipathy to modern music-something veteran music producer Kenny Bloom agrees with. “The government has become supportive of the music industry... no one is banned in China and no one is arrested for singing a song, at least not to my knowledge,” said Bloom, who runs an Internet platform promoting Chinese indie bands.

While available sales data is thin, bands get by on what they make from concerts and fairly low-level CD sales in a market notorious for piracy. Bloom said many of the around 100 music festivals that now take place in China every year were sponsored by local governments eager to showcase their local enterprises, bolster regional tourism and let the music industry grow. “The fact that they give licences to all these music festivals is a great indicator... they are letting these big festivals take place... with up to 60,000 people going to them. And nobody seems to mind.” Bloom used to produce albums for Cui Jian, one of China’s biggest music stars and known as the “Godfather of Chinese rock and roll”.

He set up Mogo.com.cn in 2009 to promote independent music in China and the website now features footage of thousands of live performances from about 300 indie bands, which users can access for free. The site is currently used mainly by industry insiders and musicians, but Bloom plans to reach a broader audience by introducing presenter-led programming.

To build up content, he has a simple arrangement with the bands: they allow him to professionally record their performances in his cramped Beijing studio for free and he uploads it up to his website without charge. Qi Zihan, lead singer of the electronic folk band Mountain People, said the platform was “really cool”. “It allows us to see what other bands are doing,” Qi told AFP at the Mogo studio. After 10 years of constant touring, Mountain People-from the mountainous southwestern province of Yunnan-have become renowned for their amped-up traditional Chinese instruments and energy-packed shows.

As well as becoming a favorite band in Beijing, the Mountain People are revered in their home province of

A man with a guitar tattoo watches a band at the 2Kolegas live music venue in Beijing. — AFP photos

Yunnan and regularly tour overseas. “Years before, the music was restricted in China, but now things are better,” Qi said.

“They (the government) realized that overall the music and the music industry didn’t have such a big influence on society. They realized there are no problems (with rock music).

Overall they want the music industry to develop.” Meanwhile, bands are smart enough to know that mixing music with sensitive political issues could be a fast way to end a career, Bloom said.

“There are thousands of bands, indie bands, hip-hop bands, ethnic bands that are really pushing the envelop in music. They are starting to write great songs, their arrangements are good, they are playing better,” Bloom said. “The bands aren’t stupid, they want to play music, the fans want to hear music, it is nothing more complicated than that. Not everything has to be political, music is music.”=—AFP

Singer Qi Zihan of ‘Mountain People’ from China’s Yunnan province prepares to record at the Mogo.com studio in Beijing.

Mogo.com music producer Kenny Bloom (centre R) and the ‘Mountain People’ from China’s Yunnan province prepare to record at a studio in Beijing.

uided by a thumping bass line from their backing band, the Jackson brothers strut forward to a row of four microphones, thrusting their pelvises along the way, before launching into “Can’t Let Her Get Away,” a song their superstar sibling released on his “Dangerous” album. If they had afros and matching powder blue suits, it might feel like 1977 again. It doesn’t.

They’re casually sporting sunglasses, workout gear and a few more pounds than when they, along with the future King of Pop, were simply known as the Jackson 5. (Also, “Can’t Let Her Get Away” was released in 1991 after the group fizzled out.)

Nearly three years since Michael died while preparing for his comeback tour, four of his brothers - Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie - are set for their own return to the stage as The Jacksons. It hasn’t been easy. “The brothers don’t know this, but I’ve broken down several times and cried during rehearsals,” said Jermaine during a recent rehearsal break on a soundstage in Burbank, Calif.

“I’m so used to Michael being on the right and then Marlon, Jackie, on and on. It’s just something we never get used to.” The brothers are launched their “Unity” tour yesterday, five days ahead of the third anniversary of Michael’s death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol on June 25, 2009. “For me, this cycle that comes around every year - this day, that day - that doesn’t affect me because it affects me every day,” said Marlon. “When that day comes around, it’s the same. You learn to live with it. I still wake up sometimes and go, ‘Jeez. I can’t believe my brother’s not here.’”

Following Michael’s death, the four brothers appeared in the A&E reality series “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty,” which chronicled their loss and attempt to stage a comeback before their brother died. Jermaine said the brothers have wanted to reunite on their own for years, but after Michael’s passing, they needed time to heal - and the tour is another step in that process. They’re rearranged their classics to suit their voices, and Jermaine said the group plans to pay tribute to Michael during their shows with a slideshow and medley that will conclude with the tune “Gone Too Soon.”

“There’s certain songs that make you feel the sorrow,” said Tito. “Then again, there are other songs that bring so much joy and happiness, such as ‘ABC’ and ‘I Want You Back’ and the up-tempo stuff like ‘This Place Hotel.’ I just imagine how he used to walk and spin and do all these things. You can feel his presence here.”

The Jacksons’ tour kicks off at Rama Casino in Ontario, Canada, and is scheduled to end July 29 at the Snoqualmie Casino Amphitheater in Snoqualmie, Wash. Other stops include Detroit’s Fox Theatre, Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre and the Harlem’s sold-out Apollo Theatre, where the Jackson 5 won an amateur night in 1969 before rocketing to fame.

Michael later forged unprecedented success as a solo artist. His superstardom was unrivaled, and his brothers couldn’t capture similar acclaim or sales with their solo projects or last studio album, 1989’s mostly Michael-less “2300 Jackson Street,” but their legacy as a group has remained unchanged. The

Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

While various combinations of the brothers have reunited to perform over the years, including at last year’s “Michael Forever” tribute concert in Wales, “Unity” will mark the first time the brothers have toured together since their final “Victory” outing in 1984.

(Marlon said Randy, who officially joined The Jacksons in 1975, elected not to join the tour but noted that the youngest Jackson brother was welcome at any time.)

“We have a certain magic,” said Jackie. “Once we get out here and run it down a couple times, it comes back to you. I’m not (moving) like I used to, but we still got it.” Will the fans think so and will they turn out to see The Jacksons, whose ages now range from 55 to 61, perform their hits without Michael. Last year, Cirque du Soleil launched “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour” in Las Vegas. The show featuring dancers and acrobatic acts performing routines set to M.J. tunes has been among the top touring acts this year, and “Immortal” will return to Vegas for a residency at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Marlon Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson and Jermaine Jackson at The Jacksons tour rehearsal on Tuesday June 12, 2012 in Burbank, Calif. — AP However, Gary Bongiovanni, editorin-chief of concert industry trade publication Pollstar, doesn’t believe The Jacksons will achieve similar success with their smaller endeavor. “ The Jacksons were really all about Michael,” said Bongiovanni. “The Cirque du Soleil show was successful because it was Cirque du Soleil and Michael’s music. I don’t know if that portends much for the remaining brothers and their ability to generate enthusiasm for ticket sales.”

The brothers are undaunted, hoping to release an album of new music then go back out on tour. “It’s like riding a bike,” said Marlon. “You never forget, but you do need to tweak a few things.”—AP

Hollywood couple Depp, Paradis split ‘amicably’

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

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otheby’s set a new auction record for Spanish artist Joan Miro on Tuesday when his 1927 painting “Peinture (Etoile Bleue)” fetched 23.6 million pounds ($36.9 million), but elsewhere the sale failed to meet expectations. Overall, the auctioneer raised 75.0 million pounds ($117.7 million) at its impressionist and modern art evening sale in London, just beating the low estimate of 73 million pounds but falling short when buyer’s premium is taken into account.

The auction was the first in a busy season of sales of fine art in London which, if the highest expectations are met, could raise up to $1 billion. But it painted an uncertain picture, with the New York Times describing proceedings on the night as “lackluster” and “bumpy.” Confidence in the art market has been sky high in 2012 despite broader economic concerns, with emerging collectors from Russia, China and the Middle East helping push values to record highs as they seek to snap up the most coveted works.

On offer at Sotheby’s was one of Miro’s most important paintings, and the previous auction record for the artist of 16.8 million pounds was comfortably eclipsed. “His works from this period are supremely modern, timeless and of great universal appeal, making this precisely the type of painting that today’s international collectors are prepared to lock horns over, as they did this evening,” said Helena Newman, head of Sotheby’s impressionist and modern art in Europe.

The next highest price went to Pablo Picasso’s “Homme Assis” which sold for 6.2 million pounds, again just above the low estimate but falling short after the buyer’s premium is subtracted. A Henry Moore sculpture, “Mother and Child With Apple”, was one of the few star performers on a night when 15 of the 48 lots on offer went unsold. It raised 3.7 million pounds, well above pre-sale expectations of 1.8-2.8 million. There, the 71 lots on offer are expected to raise between 86.5 and 126.7 million pounds. — Reuters

A picture shows British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s new artwork ‘Globe Head Ballerina’ installed on the exterior of the Royal Opera House in London on June 19, 2012, as part of the London 2012 Festival program of cultural events to celebrate the Olympic Games. The sculpture features a life-sized ballerina encased within a giant ‘snow globe’. The work was inspired by a photograph of the legendary ballerina Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet, and the ballerina figure is modeled on Melissa Hamilton, soloist with the Royal Ballet. — AFP

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ove him or hate him, there is no escaping Jeff Koons, the king of pornographic kitsch, in Frankfurt these days, with a mammoth double retrospective in two of the city’s main museums. Ubiquitous oversized posters line the river front and are plastered across every metro station proclaiming “Wow” or “Must See” for what is being hailed as the biggest-ever show of works by the 57-year-old American pop artist, opened here yesterday.

The Schirn Kunsthalle, one of the city’s two museums for contemporary art, is hosting “Jeff Koons. The Painter”, with a total 45 canvasses on display, while the small and more genteel Liebieghaus, a villa which sits in a leafy garden on the south bank of the Main, is showing 44 works of “Jeff Koons. The Sculptor”. The spectacular double exhibition, which is expected to break all attendance records at both houses, runs until

September 23. Pennsylvania-born Koons, whose works regularly fetch astronomic prices at auction, is perhaps most notorious for a series of sexually explicit paintings, photographs and sculptures entitled “Made in Heaven” in 1990-91 with his then partner, porn-star Ilona Staller or Cicciolina.

Small selections of the pictures from the series are on display in a separate room in the Schirn. But his outsized paintings and sculptures of objects from trivial culture inflatable dolphins, balloon bunnies and cartoon figures such as Popeye and the Incredible Hulk-have led his work to be dismissed as vapid or mere merchandising in art circles. One of the main attractions in the Liebieghaus is a gigantic cream and golden porcelain sculpture of Michael Jackson and his pet chimpanzee Bubbles. Koons coolly dismisses his critics. “‘Kitsch’ is a word of judgment. I don’t believe in judgment,” he told reporters at a special press viewing ahead of the official opening.

“I want to show what it means to be human. I like shiny surfaces, to affirm the viewer: you are here.” For the shows’ curators, Koons “uses motifs from popular culture, which he defamiliarises or imitates. His works play with kitsch and commerce and is rich in art-historical associations.

Koons makes references to important artists such as Marcel Duchamp or Andy Warhol, but also to the artistic styles of the baroque and the roccoco.” The daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung was not convinced.

“His art is madly elaborate and technically perfect and car designers can learn a lot from his obsessive handling of varnish and seemingly fluid steel. His works have an effect merely because you can’t overlook them. But ‘Must See’? No,” it wrote in a review. By contrast, the Frankfurter Rundschau found the sculptures-placed among the Liebieghaus’s exquisite collection of antique Roman and Greek marbles-”magnificent”. “They didn’t seem misplaced at all” among the busts and statues of past millennia, it wrote. “Never was it more clear that Koons is a sculptor and not a painter.”

The Liebieghaus’s curator, Vinzenz Brinkmann, said that “from a certain point of view, Jeff Koons is the last artist of the antiquity,” because he, like the ancient sculptors, “shared an interest in the quest for perfection, for craftsmanship and a love of flamboyant colours.” And like them, too, he combined the divine with sexuality, in contrast to the philosophy of Christianity, Brinkmann said. Runs from June 20-September 23. Tickets 14 euros. — AFP

Gallery assistants pose with Spanish Catalan artist Joan Miro’s “Peinture (Etolie Bleue), 1927” at Sotheby’s acution house in central London on June 14, 2012. — AFP

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The sculpture “Monkeys” by US artist Jeff Koons is seen.

The sculpture “Balloon Venus” by US artist Jeff Koons is seen at the Liebighaus Skulpturen Sammlung during the opening of the exhibition “Jeff Koons - The Painter & The Sculptor” taking place both at the Liebighaus Skulpturen Sammlung and the Schirn Kunsthalle iin the central German city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on June 19, 2012. — AFP photos

roduction has started on “Maleficent,” with Angelina Jolie starring as the classic Disney villain from “Sleeping Beauty.” Work on the film began June 13, The Walt Disney Studios announced Tuesday. The studio also released the first image of Jolie in character, wearing a dark headdress and dramatic makeup.

“Maleficent” tells the beloved “Sleeping Beauty” fairy tale from the perspective of Aurora’s evil nemesis, revealing the back story that led her to curse the girl as a baby. And it’ll probably look pretty spectacular: “Maleficent” marks the directing debut of longtime visual effects and production designer Robert Stromberg, a two-time Oscar winner for “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland.” The film is scheduled for release on March 14, 2014. — AP

This June 14, 2012 image released by Disney Enterprises, Inc., shows actress Angelina Jolie in the title role of “Maleficent,” the villian from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” — AP The sculpture “Michael Jackson and Bubbles”.

US artist Jeff Koons poses for a photo in front of the sculpture “Metallic Venus” .